City of Devils
by only-because3
Summary: It wasn't like they had gone to his house planning to do anything, they were simply just going to hang out and watch Weird Science. But, she ended up becoming the whore that Peyton said she was. Brucas
1. City of Devils

Hey everyone! So, I'm thinking of making yet another story and but I'm not sure which to do. I'm, really tempted to make 'Always Love' into a story but, I really don't know how I could give everyone happy brucasness with that story lol. So, it's between 'Always Love' becoming a story, or this turning into a story. Tell me which you would prefer!

She walked down the street in one of the worst parts of town. But, her car was currently out of commission, and she didn't have the money to get it fixed at the moment. So, walking was what she would have to do. Besides, it's not like buses ran this late and taking the subway would be pointless considering she only had to walk 6 short blocks to her small apartment.

One of the girls she worked with offered to give her a ride home, but that meant that she would have had to wait till her shift was over which didn't end for another 2 hours, so she decided to just walk. She had to get up early tomorrow morning to try and find a part time job so she could make extra money to get her car fixed.

She reached her run down apartment complex and walked slowly up the steps, before making sure she had a good grip on the small child in her arm. She opened the door and began her ascend up the 2 flights of stairs. When she finally did make it into her small apartment she let out a sigh of relief. She walked into her daughter's room and laid her down in her bed, covering her with the blanket.

After making sure that the door was locked, she went to go take a shower using the little hot water the building had. She had never been proud of her job but it was the only one she had been able to get when she came here. She had gotten a job at a small cafe but after letting a small kitchen fire start, she had been fired. By then, she was too pregnant to be allowed to have a job, so she had gone on unemployment and when her little bundle of joy was 3 months old, she had reluctantly taken a job at the strip club down the street from her apartment.

She'd contemplated going back to Tree Hill many times. She knew there she would be able to get help and not have to subject herself to anything. But, that of course meant that she would have to face everyone she left and she didn't know if she could do that. She'd left Tree Hill almost 5 years ago, the day of graduation. She had nothing to stay for anymore. After the sex tape had been released, everything had pretty much gone to hell and she knew that it was still pretty awkward between her and Haley. And then of course, prom night had made it even more awkward.

She ended up going back to Lucas' after he and Peyton got into a fight. It wasn't like they had gone to his house planning to do anything, they were simply just going to hang out and watch Weird Science. But, she ended up becoming the whore that Peyton said she was. Somehow, her and Lucas got caught up in some moment and ended up sleeping with each other, not a ounce of alcohol in their system. Then, two days before graduation, she found out she was pregnant.

And so, she came to New York (which she learned should be called the City of Devils) to try and salvage what she could. Victoria's Secret had screwed her over royally, and dropped her when they found out that she was pregnant. She had her college money which wasn't spent on anything other then her pride and joy, Henley. That money bought all of her clothing, furniture, baby sitting, everything that she could ever possibly need or want. Just because she didn't have a lot of money didn't mean that her daughter wasn't going to get what she deserved. Her daughter deserved so much more than what Brooke had become.

Henley Madelyn Davis-Scott was the perfect mix of her parents. She had Brooke's dark brown hair and dimples but had Lucas' blue eyes. She also did the squinty thing that Lucas did which Brooke found absolutely adorable. She was a definatly a reader, again, like Lucas. She was constantly reading, or attempting to read, anything she could get her hands on and loved it when anyone would just take the time and sit and read to her. She had her broody moments like her father, but all around was a pretty cheerful child like her mother.

Brooke got out of the shower, having enough of the water that had turned to ice 10 minutes ago. She changed in to her pajamas and went to go watch some stupid infomercial on her small tv in her small living room. This is what she did every night after work, falling asleep by 2:30 after getting home at 2. She would wake up a few hours later at 7 am and make a small breakfast before waking her daughter up to eat, and getting herself and her daughter ready for the day ahead. Her life had become repetitive and disgusting and she really needed to just get out. Get out of the life that she had created, get out of the city she had come to hate. She swore to herself she would do it too. When she woke up she would march straight down to the strip club and quit, pack up all of her things and use the rest of the money she had to fix her car and go straight to Tree Hill with her daughter.

And then, as she was drifting into her slumber, she laughed. She laughed because she knew it was a bunch of crap. She had told herself she was going to get out ever since she took that job. But she wasn't. She was never going to get out of this.


	2. Note to Self: Don't Die

Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! This is a pretty short update, I promise hte next one will be longer. The Lyrics are 'Note to self don't die' by Ryan Adams and the book Henley reads is 'Mudge has a snack' by Cynthia Rylant. I've decided to continue with this even though I'll prolly continue 'Always Love' too lol. Tell me what y'all think! DISCLAIMER- I own nothing

"Momma?" Henley asked flipping through one of her many books.

"Yes baby." Brooke said, putting her hand out so that her daughter could place the red hair tie into her hand.

"What's this word?" Brooke quickly finished Henley's pigtails before looking over her daughter's shoulder.

"Cracker." Brooke said slowly and Henley nodded.

"Crack..er." Henley said just as slowly, and looked back up at her mom. "Good?"

"Good." Brooke said, smiling down at her daughter. "Now, are you going to finish the story?"

"It is a cracker. Mudge looooves crackers." Henley continued, stressing the word loves more than she needed to. "Now Henry has a snack. And Mudge has a snack. And all Mudge had to be was cute! The end!"

"That was very good. Thank you for reading to me baby." Brooke said, hugging her daughter.

"Momma..." Henley said, hopping down from the chair to look at her mom. "Can I pwease have some candy?"

"You haven't had any dinner yet babe." Brooke said shaking her head.

"But I'm cute!" Henley said stopping her foot.

Brooke laughed. "You are very cute Henley, but you're not getting any candy."

"But all Mudge had to do was be cute!" Henley said, folding her arms over her chest.

"Mudge is a dog sweetie. You are my daughter who doesn't get candy before dinner." Brooke said, walking out of her daughter's room.

"But Momma!" Henley whined as she followed Brooke into t he kitchen.

"Henley if you whine you aren't going to get any candy at all." Brooke said and Henley shut her mouth. "Good girl. Now, go get your things ready for when Mommy has to go to work."

* * *

"Hey Brooke. Hi Henley. I got a cup full of cherries with your name on it." Stacy said as Brooke walked into her work carrying Henley.

"Stacy!" Henley shouted excitedly. Brooke sat Henley down on a bar stool, a bar stool that has come to be only hers.

"What do you say?" Brooke said, setting Henley's bag down on top of the counter.

"Thank you Stacy!" Henley said excitedly, popping a cherry in her mouth.

"Good girl." Brooke said, running her fingers threw her daughter's curly pigtail. "So, what am I doing tonight?"

It was all about rotation. Some nights, you would work center stage, other nights you would give lap dances. Tonight, Brooke had lucked out and was working at the bar, something she preferred. That way she could keep a better eye on Henley and would stay more clothed. Unfortunately for her, she had got a reputation for her lap dances, and had been asked to perform for a bachelor party tonight.

"Your working the bar tonight until some bachelor party comes in. You've been requested." Stacy said.

"Absolutely wonderful." Brooke sighed.

"Hi! What's your name?" Henley asked the man that sat down next to her. Henley was in the faze where she liked to know everyone around her and become their best friend until she never saw them again.

"Bob. And what's your name?" Henley was about to answer the man when Brooke covered her mouth.

"What did I say about telling strangers your name?" Brooke asked, eyeing the man next to Henley.

"Don't." Henley responded sheepishly. Henley turned around on the bar stool to face the man. "I can't tell you my name. I'm sorry."

"Henley, do you want to make me another story tonight?" Stacy asked and Henley nodded eagerly.

Almost every night, Brooke, Stacy, or another girl that they worked with, would ask Henley to make them a story. She would draw pictures and create her own little picture book while they worked. That way, she wouldn't be looking at everyone dancing. When she finished the books, she would read them to however she made them for with such enthusiasm.

"Momma, where's my red crayon?" Henley asked, stumbling on the word 'crayon'. She had always had trouble with that word, the same word that Brooke had remember Lucas having trouble with too.

"I dunno baby maybe you left it at home." Brooke said, making Bob a Glass Tower.

"But I need it for Stacy's hair!" Henley said, putting down her green crayon.

"Well you'll have to use another crayon." Brooke said, starting on the round of drinks that had been ordered for the bachelor party that had come in.

"But Stacy's hair is red Momma!" Henley whined as Stacy came up.

"Brooke you have to go get ready."

"Stacy you might not have red hair in the story." Henley said looking down. "Is that okay?"

"That's fine sweetie." Stacy said with a smile.

"Henley, I want you to stay with Stacy while I go talk to some guys in the other room okay?" Brooke said and Henley nodded her head in response.

"Loves you." Henley said with a smile before Brooke walked away.

"I love you too." Brooke called over her shoulder.

She made her way to the back to quickly change into the clothes that she would, soon after, take off completely. This was nothing new to her. She was very popular when it came to bachelor parties whether it be her stripping for the whole group or just giving the lucky husband-to-be a lap dance. Usually his friends liked to watch the lap dance, something she would never understand, but tonight, thankfully, it was just her and the husband-to-be.

She checked her hair once more in the mirror before finally walking into the private room where her client waited.

She opened her mouth, ready to role out the line she said every time she was about to hop on somebody's lap. But, all speech was silenced when she saw the man sitting on the couch.

He was in jeans and a shirt and looked very very uncomfortable.

Then, the song that she always used under these circumstances came on and the man turned his head to look at her.

_I'm as blue, I'm as blue as the ocean is true_

"Brooke?"

"Mouth?"


	3. It's a Beautiful Life

Hey everyone! Thank you oh so much for the reviews! This is the last 'talky' chapter. Big things to come in the next chapter and it'll prolly be up by Saturday. Hope y'all enjoy the chapter and Brooke's name( I used my own fake stripper name lol) DISCLAIMER- I own nothing :(

"You have red hair like Stacy." Henley said looking at the young woman who sat down where Bob had been sitting 10 minutes ago.

"And who is Stacy?" the woman asked, looking down at the little girl.

"Stacy is Momma's friend." Henley said, grabbing a new piece of paper for the book. "Do you want me to make a story for you?"

The woman smiled. "I'd love that." Henley smiled and began drawing a house. "Does your mommy work here?"

Henley nodded. "She had to go talk to some peoples in the back room." Stacy walked back over to the bar in her robe.

"I'm sorry if she's bothering you." Stacy said, getting yet another cup of cherries for Henley.

"She's fine. She's a little cutie."

"Momma says that I'm the cutest little girl ever." Henley said proudly.

* * *

"You work here?" Mouth questioned, not believing for a second that Brooke would actually work in a strip club.

Brooke just nodded, not being able to form a word. She looked down at herself, realizing that she was wearing her flame bra and g-string in front of Mouth. Yes, Brooke had been a lot more naked in front of many men before, but she had never felt so embarrassed and nude in her life than she did at that moment.

"Oh my god." Somehow fell out of her mouth as she walked over and sat on the far end of the couch.

"**You're** Bunny Perkins?" Mouth asked, his jaw practically on the floor.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god." Brooke mumbled, keeping her head down. '_This isn't happening. This can not be happening.'_ Brooke thought.

"Brooke, talk to me." Mouth said, scooting closer to the brunette who was curled up in a ball at the end of the couch. "This is what you left Tree Hill for?"

"I didn't leave Tree Hill for _this_. I left Tree Hill because there was nothing there for me anymore." Brooke said quietly, not looking Mouth in the eye.

"Really? Because it seems like you had a lot more back there than you do now." Mouth said, finally getting Brooke to look at him.

"It's way too complicated to go into Mouth. And well, I still come off in a bad light." Brooke said with a forced smile "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm getting married tomorrow." Mouth said obviously.

"In New York?"

"It's where she wanted to be married." Mouth said with a smile.

"So, how does your fiancé feel about you going to a strip club?" Brooke asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"She wanted me to come here. She set me up with you." Mouth said, shaking his head at his soon to be wife's crazy antics.

"Your wife set you up for a lap dance? Who the hell are you marrying Britney Spears?"

"Rachel actually."

"Your getting married to Rachel?" Brooke asked, shocked.

"Yep. She pushed me in here and said that I better sit through a lap dance or she wouldn't marry me tomorrow." Mouth said, getting a laugh out of Brooke.

"Rachel is a piece of work." Brooke laughed.

"Want to hear something even more funny?" Mouth asked. Brooke gave him a look, urging him to continue. "The last time I got a lap dance, this song was playing and I was with you."

It took Brooke a second to realize what he was talking about. How could she forget that night? She got a lap dance right next to Mouth and later told Lucas that she thought she was pregnant.

"Who knew we'd be here almost 6 years later?" Brooke laughed, until realization hit her and the smile fell from her face. "Oh my god. Who are you here with?"

"Who am I here with?" Mouth asked.

Brooke stood up abruptly. '_Shit shit shit.'_ "Who are you here with? Anyone we went to high school with?"

"Um... Rachel's here with me. Haley wouldn't let Nathan go and Lucas isn't in town yet. Skillz and Junk might still be here."

"God damn it, Rachel's a drinker too." Brooke said, panicking a little bit. She walked out of the room and Mouth followed her.

"Are you okay?" Mouth asked as Brooke quickly put on her short silk robe.

"I'm in a strip club, do you honestly think I'm okay?"

* * *

"You know, you look a lot like a girl I used to know."

"Momma says I look exactly like her except with my daddy's eyes." Henley said, looking into her empty cup of cherries. "Stacy can I have more cherries pwease?"

"Rach!" Mouth called out and the woman's head turned.

"Did you enjoy your lap dance?" Rachel asked, walking over to Mouth and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Well, I got kinda distracted." Mouth said as he stepped to the side to reveal Brooke.

"Hi. Bunny Perkins." Brooke said with a dimpled smile, holding out her hand.

"BROOKE!" Rachel exclaimed, skipping the handshake and hugging Brooke. "Wow, you're a stripper. Well, what'd I tell you? I always said you'd end up in some strip joint, slut."

"Momma, what's a slut?" Henley asked, looking at the group of friends.

"It's a bad word baby. Don't say it again." Brooke said, patting her daughter's head. "Stacy, can you take Henley to the back room?"

"Of course. Come on girlie." Stacy said, picking Henley up.

"Now I can read you your story!" Henley exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"That was _your_ daughter?"

"Surprise!" Brooke said, moving her hands as if she had just performed a magic trick.

"Is she your complicated story?" Mouth asked and Brooke just nodded her head.

"She looks just like you Brooke." Rachel said, and Brooke let a genuine smile form on her face.

"Thank you. She's my whole world." Brooke said, tightening her robe.

"Hey, you know what?" Rachel said as they all walked back to the bar.

"What?" Brooke said, getting back behind the bar to make drinks.

"You should come tomorrow." Brooke handed her a beer along with a confused look.

"Come where?" Brooke asked, getting a beer for Mouth.

"To the wedding!" Rachel said as if it was the most obvious thing ever.

"You're kidding right?" Brooke asked, stopping what she was doing.

"Why would I be kidding? You can come and see everyone and we'll have fun!" Rachel practically whined. "I miss my accomplice."

"You know, I don't give Henley what she wants when she whines." Brooke said, smirking.

"I was not whining!" Rachel said, and Brooke just nodded her head.

"Sure you weren't." Brooke said, rolling her eyes to Mouth who tried to stifle a laugh. "I can not go to your wedding.

"Why not?" Rachel asked, taking a gulp of her beer.

"Um, let's see, I haven't seen or spoken to anyone in 5 years, I have a child and work under the name of Bunny Perkins." Brooke said, placing 4 drinks onto a tray for a waitress.

"You don't have to tell anyone that you're a stripper. And why does Henley matter in all of this? It's not like it's secretly Nathan's or something." Rachel said and Brooke let out a very awkward laugh.

"Oh my god, is she Nathan's?" Rachel asked and both Mouth and Brooke gave her an 'Are you serious' look.

"No she's not Nathan's. I've only slept with Nathan once unless I got super drunk some other night and he taped us having sex again." Brooke said shaking her head.

"Well then what is the problem?"

"The problem is, my four and a half year old likes to talk a lot and will probably mention that her mom dances with her clothes off." Brooke said before adding mentally, '_And that her last name is Scott.'_

"Brooke, I'm sure she wouldn't say that." Mouth said, trying to convince Brooke that her daughter would be well behaved. But, he had only been around Brooke's daughter for all of 10 seconds, what did he know?

"My daughter is a loud mouth." Brooke said with a sigh.

"Just like her mother." Rachel replied. "Brooke, I _really_ want you to come. You and your little girl."

"And I would _really_ like to go Rachel, but I can't." Brooke said as Stacy walked up to the bar with Henley.

"I still needs to finish your story lady." Henley said before tapping Mouth.

"Yes?" Mouth asked cheerily to the little girl.

"You're in my chair." Henley said confidently and Brooke laughed a little bit.

"That's always been her chair." Brooke explained and Mouth nodded and got up from he chair.

"Here you go. I'm sorry for taking your chair." Mouth said, hoisting Henley up so she could sit down.

"It's okay. You didn't know." Henley said, patting Mouth's shoulder before turning around to finish coloring.

"She is adorable Brooke." Mouth said smiling down at the little girl.

"Henley? How would you like to go to a big fancy party tomorrow?" Rachel asked and Henley looked up at her with big eyes.

"A party?" Henley asked and Rachel nodded her head. "Momma! Can we go to a party with the lady? Pwease!"

"Rachel!" Brooke shouted, not believing the audacity of the red head. Who was she kidding though? That was just like Rachel to use her daughter against her. "Honey I don't think we can go."

"Why not?" Henley asked, already looking like tears were going to pour out of her eyes.

"Because... because we just can't." Brooke stumbled over her words.

"That's not a very good reason Momma." Henley said, shaking her finger at her mom.

"Do not point your finger at me missy." Brooke said and Henley put her finger down.

"Momma, pwease!" Henley begged.

Brooke looked to Mouth for support but of course found none. She released a huge sigh before nodding her head. "Fine. We can go. But we are going to have a loooong talk before we go understood?"

"Yay!" Henley and Rachel shouted excitedly in their small voices.

"Congratulations Mouth. You're marrying a four year old." Brooke said with a smile and receiving a glare from Rachel.

"I'm gonna have to call the caterers." Rachel mumbled to herself. "Eh, I'll do it later. Henley, do you like chicken strips?"

"Yes I do." Henley replied.

"Well lucky for you, that's what you get to eat tomorrow at the party!" Rachel said and Henley's eyes lit up once more.

"You are my favorite person." Henley said, putting her very small hand on top of Rachel's. Mouth and Rachel laughed while Brooke began to pout.

"And what about me?" Brooke asked causing her daughter to look over at her.

"Next to you of course Momma." Henley said leaning forward to her mom a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you baby." Brooke said. "Henley, that lady is Rachel and that man is Mouth. They're old friends of mine."

"It's very nice to meet you." Henley said politely and Brooke couldn't help but smile at her daughter. She had been scared as hell going into the whole 'mom' thing. She honestly thought she wouldn't be able to do it and would become a horrible mom, worse than her own mother. She really thought that she had reached her low point when she took the job at the strip club. But looking down at her daughter, she realized that she did good. She raised a polite little girl who was more than she ever wished for.


	4. Funny Little Feeling

Thank you all oh so much for the reviews! I unfortunatley have some bad news. I'm currently grounded and can only go on the computer when my parents aren't home. So I don't know when the next chapter'll be up but I promise I'll have one when I'm ungrounded. Also, if I'm reading any of your stories and haven't reviewed, it's because I'm grounded and will review as soon as I'm not. So, I hope y'all enjopy this chapter! DISCLAIMER- I own nothing

Brooke stood in front of her bathroom mirror, observing her appearance. To say she was nervous was an understatement. Her palms had already started sweating and she wasn't even on her way to the wedding yet. Her hair was curled perfectly, almost matching her daughter's naturally curly hair. Her make up was done perfectly, nothing too dramatic. Just some light blush and a clear gloss along with some mascara. Her dress was simple, one of the few dresses she kept after she moved to New York. It was black and cut off at her knee, a front slit coming up to her mid thigh with a belted waist and scoop neck.

"Momma, do I look pretty?" Brooke looked down at her daughter who was in her favorite dress. It had been a gift from her parents, one of the very few presents they had sent to their granddaughter. She was wearing a pink dress with sheer flower print fabric laying over the pink. There was a green silk belt forming an empire type waist with a dark pink flower pin attached. Henley twirled, the bottom of her dress flaring out around her, allowing Brooke to see the perfectly tied bow on the back of the dress. Her daughter's hair was done exactly like her own, except it was pinned back at the sides with small flowers that matched the one on her belt, to keep her curly hair out of her eyes. Her legs bore white tights that led to her perfectly white mary-janes.

"You look absolutely beautiful baby." Brooke said proudly.

"Can I have some lip gloss?" Henley asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Just a little." Brooke said with a smile, grabbing her lip gloss before getting down to her daughters level. "So, what are you going to do at the church?"

Henley opened her small mouth like she always saw her mother do when she applied lip gloss. She waited until Brooke was done before answering. "I'm going to sit quietly next to you and not say anything."

"And if somebody asks you what your name is?" Brooke asked, setting the lip gloss down on the small counter.

"I say that my name is Henley." When Henley introduced herself she tended to say her full name, something that would be very very bad if she did at the wedding.

"And are you going to tell anyone that mommy dances?" Brooke asked and Henley shook her head.

"I'm not supposed to talk about you dancing." Henley said and Brooke smiled.

"Good girl." Brooke stood up and took once last look in the mirror. "Alright, let's go baby."

* * *

"This place is really big Momma." Henley said, staring up at the huge hotel in central New York City.

"It sure is." Brooke said quietly, looking up at the building herself. She'd been to New York when she was little tons of times and had come back during senior year but she never got to full see New York. She's been living in the city now for almost 5 years and she still can't believe the rock she lives under. Her daughter was born in this city for craps sake yet she's never seen some of the big land marks. The only thing she remembers taking her to see was Central Park which is where they go every Wednesday afternoon before she has to go to work.

Brooke looked down at her daughter standing next to her and smiled. "Come on." Brooke said, pulling gently on her little girl's hand towards the building. They found the room easily and Brooke decided it would be best if they just sat quietly in the back and not have to answer any questions before they got to the reception. She sat Henley down next to her as she peered over an abnormally skinny woman with hair that looked about as tall as the building they were in. She wasn't sure but she thought she could see Peyton up front with, who she assumed was Jake sitting next to her.

'_Wonder where Jenny is.'_ Brooke thought to herself as she saw everyone else taking their seats.

"Momma, look there's Mouth!" Henley said excitedly and Brooke put a finger to her lips and Henley did the same. "Sorry." she whispered and Brooke rubbed her back. She looked up at the alter to see Mouth standing next to the priest. He had a big goofy grin on his face but even from the back of the room, Brooke could tell that he was probably sweating under that black suit jacket. She looked over and noticed that Lucas, who was in the best man spot, was whispering something to Nathan who was laughing.

The music started playing, snapping Brooke out of the Lucas day dream she hadn't even realized she was having. Henley looked around, obviously confused as to why music was starting and Brooke put her hand on her shoulder to stop her from moving. First it was Jenny who was tossing flower petals down the aisle. She looked adorable in her little dress and Brooke couldn't believe how big she'd gotten. Haley was next down the aisle with a slightly larger belly. '_So, Haley's preggers.'_ Brooke thought as another girl came down the aisle behind Haley, one she didn't know. She assumed that it was some new friend that Rachel had made, probably her college roommate. Then, the first chords of the wedding march started and Brooke stood up like everyone else around her, Henley hopping down from her chair to stand.

Then Rachel appeared on her father's arm looking gorgeous. Her dress wasn't white, more of a cream and Brooke couldn't help but laugh a little. She probably would've laughed a lot more had Rachel worn white. Brooke felt a tug at her dress and looked down to see Henley with her finger on her lips.

"Sorry." Brooke whispered as Rachel got to the end of the aisle.

* * *

He stood inside the large reception room, looking over at the brunette with the little girl on her lap. He couldn't see her face but she looked oddly familiar. The little girl looked a lot like the woman she was with.

He couldn't help but smile at the scene. The little girl was on the woman's lap laughing as the woman tickled her, showing off the girl's big dimples. The woman looked rather young and Lucas wasn't too sure if the woman was her older sister or mother.

"Lucas!" Nathan yelled, and Lucas turned his head to look at his little brother. "Come on we have to take one more picture." He nodded and walked over to his brother and away from the brunette who just turned his way.

"Momma?" Henley asked, some giggle still in her voice.

"Yes baby?" Brooke asked, securing one of her daughter's clips.

"Where's Rachel?"

"She's probably taking pictures." Brooke said, scanning around the room.

"In her pretty dress?" Henley asked.

"Yes, in her pretty dress." Brooke said as she saw Rachel appear in the doorway.

"So," Rachel said once she reached Brooke, a champagne flute finding it's way into her hand along the way, "Naley's still married, boring I know. They had little Michael about three months after you left. Then they had Madison like two years ago, that's that little girl right there." Rachel said, pointing out the little girl next to Karen.

"The girl on Karen's left is her daughter Katherine. Oh Karen and Dan, totally back on." Rachel said, pausing to take a drink of champagne. "Peyton and Lucas broke up like 2 years ago. Last year she started dating Jake and Lucas hasn't dated anyone since. At least, not anyone we know about. And, I think that's pretty much the low down on everyone."

"Karen and Dan are dating?" Brooke asked, disgusted. She was glad that Lucas' parents were together, that's what every little kid wants, but Dan and Karen? That was like some unholy alliance.

"Yeah. Scary isn't it?" Rachel said.

"Momma, can I go play with those little girls? I promise I'll be good." Henley asked from the chair and Brooke nodded.

"Remember what I told you!" Brooke called out as she watched her little girl run off towards Karen. As her eyes followed her daughter, she noticed that the rest of the wedding party was back in the room. She noticed that Lucas was over by the bar, and let her eyes sit there long enough for Rachel to notice.

"So, are you gonna tell him?" Rachel asked, grabbing a new champagne flute.

"What?" Brooke asked, redirecting her attention to Rachel.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Tell who what?" Brooke asked.

"Lucas about his daughter." Rachel said obviously.

"Lucas has a daughter?" Brooke asked, trying to pretend she had no idea what Rachel was talking about.

"I'm not a dumbass Brooke. I know that Henley's his." Rachel said, putting a hand on her hip.

"How'd you figure it out?"

"Well, when I asked your daughter what her name was she said Henley Davis Scott, she has those famous Scott eyes, and since she's not Nathan's, she's Lucas'." Rachel said matter-of-factly.

"Ugh, she told you her full name? I've been trying to get her to stop that. She's gonna end up getting kidnapped!" Brooke said, obviously frustrated.

"Or end up telling her daddy that he's her daddy!" Rachel said with a smile and all Brooke could do was glare.

"Hi! What's your name?" Henley said as she approached Karen, Katherine, and Madison.

"I'm Katherine." Katherine said shyly.

"Well hello there. I've never met you before." Karen said, getting down to Henley's level. "What's your name?"

"I'm Henley. What's your name?"

"I'm Karen. It's very nice to meet you." Karen said with a smile. Henley put her hand out for Karen to shake and Karen gladly shook it. "You're a very polite little girl."

"Thank you." Henley said as Haley walked up.

"And who's this little girl?" Haley asked as Karen stood back up.

"This is Henley." Karen said and Haley got a confused look on her face. "I have no idea who she belongs too, but she is very polite."

"Is your mommy or daddy here?" Haley asked.

"My mommy's here. I don't have a daddy." Henley said.

"You don't have a daddy?" Haley asked and Henley just shook her head.

"Well, I have a daddy, I just don't know him. But it's okay, lot's a people don't have daddies. Like Littlefoot. Littlefoot didn't have a daddy. He just had his mom and grandparents." Henley said and Karen didn't have a clue as to what she was talking about.

"Who's Littlefoot?"

"From the Land Before Time." Henley said obviously. "It's my favorite movie!"

"So you've never met your daddy?" Haley asked and Henley nodded her head.

"But my momma said that he was really nice and that some people just aren't supposed to know their daddy's. Just like how some people have two mommies." Henley said, shocking both Karen and Haley. This was obviously a very well educated girl.

"Who is your mommy?"

* * *

"Great, he's coming over." Rachel said, noticing that Lucas was excusing himself from some third cousin her mom had guilt her into inviting. "So, now that my job is done, I'm gonna go mingle with someone else.

Brooke panicked. "What? You're leaving me?"

"Um, yeah. This is the only reason I invited you. To watch all this unfold." Rachel said, motioning her hand in-between Brooke and Lucas.

"You're a bitch you know that?" Brooke said as Rachel started to walk away.

"And you're a stripper. There's no need to state the obvious." Rachel said as Lucas walked up. "Have fun!"

Lucas walked up with a confused expression, but there was a hint of humor on his face as if he knew he was walking up to what had just been a funny conversation between friends.

"Brooke?" Lucas asked skeptically.

"Hey Lucas." Brooke said with a smile, half turning towards Lucas.

"I didn't expect to see you here. I didn't know you kept in touch with Rachel." Lucas said noticing that Brooke was looking around the room. "Brooke?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Brooke said, blinking hard before focussing all her attention on the blonde in front of her. "I haven't kept in touch with Rachel, I actually ran into her last night."

"Really? Well that's cool I guess." Lucas said, trying to figure out why he sounded so scared. He was talking to a girl, what was he in high school? "So, what've you been up to?"

"Not much." Brooke lied as her little bundle of joy walked up.

"Momma?"

"Yes baby."

"Do you know those ladies?" Henley asked, pointing to Karen and Haley, both of them wearing surprised expressions on their faces.

Brooke waved awkwardly to them before answering her daughter. "Yes I know those ladies, why do you ask?"

"Because their weird." Henley said, scrunching up her face.

Lucas laughed next to Brooke before he crouched down to Henley's level. "You should try living with them. Completely nuts." Lucas said and Henley released a small giggle. "I'm Lucas." Lucas put his hand out and Henley gladly shook it.

"I like you. I'm Henley."

"Well it's nice to meet you Henley. You're a little cutie you know that?" Lucas said and Henley shyly (which completely shocked Brooke. Her daughter was like her, never shy.) twirled the bottom of her dress with a smile on her face. "Just like your mom." he added, looking up at Brooke who looked down at him with a dimpled smile on her face.

"You have no idea how much I missed that smile." Lucas said, standing up straight. By now, Henley had run off, most likely to play with Jenny and give Peyton a nice little heart attack.

"So, I had a kid. She's really been the only highlight I've had over the past 5 years." Brooke explained and Lucas nodded.

"And her dad...?" he asked, realizing how desperate he sounded after the question left his mouth.

"My welcome to New York. Never saw him again." Brooke lied. Henley's father was more like her goodbye to Tree Hill.

"That's too bad." Lucas said, truly believing that the guy was an idiot for leaving Brooke. Brooke shrugged and Nathan called Lucas over, yelling something about more pictures. "The wedding Nazis call."

She laughed softly before nodding. "I understand. We'll catch up more later." He smiled once more before walking off in Nathan's direction.

Brooke slumped down on to her chair, grabbing a champagne flute as it passed on a waiter's tray. She had talked to Lucas for all of 5 minutes and she was already falling for him... again.


	5. Open Your Eyes

Hey everyone! This chapter is (I think) a bit on the longer side. I've actually been ungrounded for about two days( I got off A LOT earlier than I thought) and the chapter was half way finished. Flashbacks are in itlaics, as always. Thank you guys SOOO much for the reviews! Only 4 chapters and I already have 46! Hope you guys enjoy! DISCLAIMER- I own nothing :( 

"Did you see who's here?" Haley asked as she walked up next to Peyton, her hand resting on her small bump.

"Is there someone I should be on the look out for?" Peyton asked in response, taking a sip of the wine she had in her hand. She glanced over to Jenny who was playing with a small brunette girl.

"Brooke is here." Haley said pointing to a table across the room. The same table where Brooke sat, talking to with Nathan.

"Brooke's here?" Peyton asked, straightening her posture in shock. She took her eyes off of Jenny and placed them on a laughing Brooke. "How the hell?"

Nathan had excused himself from Brooke and walked over to his wife and friend. "Hey, did you guys know Brooke is here?" he asked. He had just spent the past 5 minutes chatting with Brooke about what she'd been up to and had the pleasure of meeting her little girl.

"Rachel's been keeping in contact with her?" Peyton questioned, hating Rachel a little in her head. She hadn't spoken to Brooke in 5 years and it almost killed her. They were best friends (at one point in time) and she just left. No goodbye, no nothing. Yet Rachel had kept Brooke's where abouts a secret?

"Nope, they ran into each other last night." Nathan answered. Peyton looked over at Brooke, trying to decipher how she felt about all of this. Brooke being at the wedding that is. She was happy to finally see her again but this was Brooke. If she hadn't kept in contact with everyone after graduation, what would change this time around? Plus, she **hadn't** kept in contact which hurt. Yeah it had been pretty awkward when she left but she still cared. Although, she had told Brooke that she was dead to her.

"Haley, you met Henley right?" Nathan asked and Haley nodded, wrapping an arm around Nathan's.

"She's definatly a very polite little girl." Haley said, Peyton looking at both of them confused as to who they were talking about. "That's Henley." Peyton looked over to where Haley had gestured to see Lucas dancing with the little brunette girl that had been playing with Jenny.

"Who is she?" Peyton asked and Nathan and Haley shared a look.

"She's Brooke's." Nathan said, being the one to finally answer her. Peyton's eyes grew wide and she lost her grip on the glass in her hand. It fell to the ground, breaking as it hit the marble floor, the white wine pooling around the shards of glass.

* * *

Brooke sat at the table, looking over at the dance floor where her daughter was dancing with Lucas.

'_Father-daughter dance.'_ Brooke thought as Lucas twirled Henley around. Lucas definatly wasn't the best dancer, but it was obvious that he hadn't gotten the Scott dancing gene. Nathan was absolutely hopeless on the dance floor and Dan wasn't much better. But Lucas, he had a bit of... grace to him.

The next song came on, a slower one and she could see Lucas bend down to talk to Henley. Henley nodded her head, her brown curls bouncing as she did so. Lucas then lifted her up into his arms so that Henley was almost at eye level with him. He then proceeded to start swaying back and forth to the song and Brooke could feel herself melt inside. He was wonderful with her and she could tell by her daughter's dimples that she had taken a fancy to Lucas herself.

That's when the guilt started settling in. Henley didn't know who her father was, she hadn't seen a picture of him recently, something that was a good and bad blessing in Brooke's eyes. It was good only for the fact that Henley couldn't go up to Lucas and tell him that he's her dad. But, when Henley was little, Brooke used to talk about Lucas a lot, occasionally show her pictures of him. She thought that Henley should know him, at least from stories, but for some reason, Brooke stopped with the pictures and the stories she used to tell have been down graded to a few sentences here and there.

Here Lucas was, bonding with who he thought was **her** daughter, not **their** daughter. He had missed out on the first four years of Henley's life. He hadn't seen any of her first's, he hadn't gone to a single doctor's appointment, nothing. He hadn't even met his daughter until today, and he didn't even know she was his.

"Hey there Brooke." Haley said, slowly approaching the brunette. Brooke snapped out of her thought and tore her gaze off of Lucas and Henley, focussing on Haley.

"Hey Haley." Brooke said, somewhat awkwardly. Lucas and Nathan had greeted her with smiles and didn't seem angry with her in the least. Rachel and Mouth hadn't been angry either, but they knew the whole story and her dirty little secrets. Talking to Haley (and Peyton) was a different story completely.

"How have you been?" Haley asked, taking the seat next to Brooke, setting down her glass of water.

"I've been good." Brooke said nodding. "You've already met Henley."

"Yes I have. She's such a polite little girl Brooke. So confident. I have to say, she's exactly like you." Haley said with a smile. She knew Brooke would hold her own, act completely confident, even though this was awkward. Brooke may have seemed completely relaxed, but Haley could see through the act and tried her best to make it seem as though nothing was wrong.

"Thank you. Who knew Brooke Davis would be so good with kids?" Brooke said with a small laugh. "She loves to read and write though. When I take her to work, she'll make little books for everyone. I could fill a bookcase with all of her books." Brooke beamed. She loved talking about Henley. She had never been so proud of something before she had Henley. When Henley was littler, they were always stopped by people who felt the need to tell Brooke just how cute her baby was.

"Sounds like Lucas." Karen said from behind Brooke, who was doing a magnificent job of hiding the fact that she thought Karen suspected something. Brooke turned around with a smile on her lips, getting up to hug Karen.

"Hey Karen." Brooke said, pulling out of the hug. "I saw your little girl running around here earlier. She looks so much like Keith."

"She really does doesn't she?" Karen said, scanning the room until her eyes found her daughter. Satisfied with how her daughter was acting, she refocussed her attention on the brunette in front of her. "And your little girl is precious Brooke. I don't think I've ever met a more polite person, let a lone a four year old."

Brooke smiled and chuckled a little. "That's what everyone says about her. How polite she is. Which is a good thing I guess."

"It's a very good thing." Karen added, giving Brooke a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "So, are you planning on keeping in touch this time? It's been weird these past couple years with out Brooke Davis popping in."

Brooke knew that Karen didn't mean anything negative by the statement, but it made her feel bad for not keeping in touch. She chose to stare at her champagne flute, sensing that Haley was looking at her intently, waiting for her to answer and give an explanation as to why she hadn't kept in contact. "Maybe." Brooke mumbled with a small smile before taking a sip of her champagne.

Haley tried to sigh discreetly next to her, but Brooke heard it. That made her feel even worse. She felt like she was letting Haley down and Haley as like the older sister you always tried to impress. Brooke kept her eyes focussed on the ground, trying to think of a topic to change the subject to. Karen had walked off after she had blurted her 'maybe' because Katherine had gotten behind the bar and was throwing limes at the waiters.

"Hate to interrupt what appears to be a very deep conversation, but could I borrow Brooke for a moment?" Lucas asked, standing in front of the two former friends.

Haley smiled at her current best friend and picked up her glass of water. "See ya around Brooke." Haley said before walking away, probably in search of Nathan.

"Thank you." Brooke said, leaning her hand in her head.

"Not a problem."

"So, where is my little one?" Brooke asked, noticing that Henley hadn't followed Lucas over to the table. She was just about to lift her head from her hands to do 'The Mom Scan' when Lucas went into explanation.

"She's hanging out with Michael and Nathan." Lucas said just as another song came on. "May I have this dance?"

Brooke looked up and opened her eyes to see Lucas' hand staring back at her.

_She nodded and turned to her right to pick up the shoes she had discarded long ago. She grabbed her wrap as well and turned back to see his hand open and waiting for her to put her small hand in his. This was oddly like Winter Formal although she knew there wouldn't be a nice breakfast and an agreement to be friends the next morning. Not if Peyton had anything to do with it._

_She hesitated if only for a moment before placing her hand firmly in his. She still loved Lucas, she wasn't going to deny it anymore, at least to herself. She knew he was still with Peyton, their fight had not been big enough to break them apart, and they were simply going to watch Weird Science and up hanging out with Karen in the living room. Just as they used to do when she lived with him._

"Oh no. I'm not really in a dancing mood." Brooke mumbled, thinking back to the night when she had thought that taking his hand wouldn't be a big deal. The night of that hand grab she had conceived her daughter.

"You're always in a dancing mood Brooke. You used to drag me to the dance floor." Lucas said, shaking his head a little bit. Brooke loved to dance.

"Really Lucas, I'm fine just sitting here." She danced almost every day of the week now. She looked to see that Lucas wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Well, as pay back for making me dance all those times when we dated, I'm forcing you to dance." Lucas said, pulling Brooke's hand out from under her head, and in the process, pulling her out of her chair. She was now wearing the ever famous Brooke Davis pout but Lucas didn't feel the least bit guilty. He saw the smile that had slipped on to her lips for a split second.

"_So, do you want to watch something other than Weird Science?" he asked and Brooke got a shocked look on her face._

"_Not watch Weird Science? Why on earth would we watch something else when we have Weird Science?" Brooke exclaimed, a small smile playing on her lips, but only for a moment did it stay there._

"_Weird Science it is." Lucas said, popping the dvd into the player and Brooke let her small smile grow into a satisfied dimpled smile. "Do you want popcorn?" Brooke nodded her and opened her mouth, ready to tell him how she wanted it. "Extra butter and melted cheese on top." She closed her mouth, shocked that he still remembered how she liked her popcorn. "And a water."_

"_Exactly." Brooke said and Lucas smiled at her before leaving the room._

They made their way to the dance floor, never noticing the stares from Peyton and Haley. When they reached the dance floor, they stood on the edge of the sea full of couples. Lucas placed his arm around her waist, and she put her hand on the back of his neck. Their other hands were cupped together out to the side and lifted slightly in the air. She was tempted to rest her head on his shoulder, but that would be far to couple-y. The last time she had done that was at Naley's second wedding.

"So," she began after clearing her throat, "what have you done in the past 5 years?"

He looked down at her when she began talking. "Well, let's see. I graduated from UNC with a degree in literature-"

"I'm so proud of you." Brooke gushed, cutting him off before he could continue.

He laughed a little, not sure why she was so proud of him for graduating from college. "Thanks." he said, seemingly brushing off the comment.

"No, really Luke. You achieved your dream. That was like your dream school and the fact that you actually did it is amazing." Brooke added, helping him realize how proud of him she was. "Not that I doubted you."

"_So, what are you doing after graduation?" Lucas asked as the credits began to role._

"_FIT in New York. Gonna go for a degree in Fashion Design. What about you?" Brooke asked._

"_Well, it turns out Keith started a college fund for me, so I have enough money to live out my dream. I'm gonna go to UNC and get my degree in literature and then, hopefully, write my book." Lucas said, leaving out the small detail that he was done with the first draft of his book._

"_Good for you Lucas." she said, really meaning it. It was great that he was allowed to do something he cared so much for._

"So, how's it coming with that book?" Brooke asked after a moment of silence ha settled between them.

"Fairly good. It's completely done, I just need to get a publisher." Lucas said and Brooke nodded, satisfied with the answer. "I was thinking of moving up here, actually. It'd be easier being so close to all these publishing companies."

'Oh' was all Brooke managed to get out. If he moved up here, there was a bigger chance of running into him (but only if they were in the good part of town)., and they'd start talking again, and everything would eventually blow up in her face.

"So, seeing anyone?" Brooke asked, much smoother than Lucas had.

"Nope. Not since Peyton and I broke up 2 years ago."

"Why'd you guys break up?" Brooke asked, and Lucas smiled a little at her nosiness.

"I just realized that I wasn't in love with her, and she pretty much realized the same thing about me. We loved the idea of loving each other. But, she belongs with Jake." Lucas said, removing his eyes from her, only for a second, to see Jake and Peyton dancing with Jenny on the other side of the dance floor.

"And who do you belong with?" Brooke asked with confidence, even though she was weary of asking the question in her head.

"_So, what'd you and Peyton fight about?" Brooke asked as she sat down on Lucas' bed, now dressed in a pair of his sweats and an oversized t-shirt._

"_I think it was because I took your side in the argument." Lucas said, shaking his head._

"_You took **my**_ _side?" Brooke gasped, honestly shocked._

"_Don't act so surprised."_

"_I am in no way acting. Lucas, you never take my side." Brooke said, placing a hand somewhat dramatically over her heart._

"_That's not true Brooke. I've taken your side before." Lucas said, assuming that she was overreacting._

"_Really? Name one, just **one**_ _time you took my side before tonight?" Brooke said getting her face close to his. He was silent, doing the squinty thing with his eyes, a true sign that he was thinking hard. When he'd been silent for about three minutes, she cocked on of her eyebrows and smirked. "Can't think of one can you?"_

_And just like that, he leaned forward and kissed her._

"Well, I'm not too sure yet." Lucas said, fibbing a bit. She nodded as though she was thinking over this new information, and checked to see where Henley was before looking up into his bright blue eyes.

"Got any girls in mind?" She couldn't believe she asked it. She wanted to hear him say that he belonged with her but it came with so much... baggage ie her, er _their_, child.

"I have one." he responded with a smile and she became aware to everything around her. Most of the couples had faded away, having gotten too tired of dancing. She could see Haley out of the corner of her eye with Nathan and their little girl and she couldn't make out what kind of expression Haley had on her face. To her right, she could see Peyton, who from the angle she was at, seemed to be glaring at her. But most importantly, she noticed just how close she was to Lucas' face.

She was so close that he could make out the tiny laugh lines around her eyes and her dimples were begging to come out. He could smell the little perfume she dabbed on her neck. Her lips were a little dry, she obviously hadn't applied gloss since she got there. But her lips, oh how he missed those lips.

"_What the hell are you doing?" Brooke practically screamed as she pushed Lucas away from her. She may have still liked Lucas but she would never, _ever _do that. She couldn't be the other woman, whether it was just a kiss or not._

_Surprised by his own actions, as well as Brooke's he got an extremely confused look on his face. "I.. I don't know." he mumbled and Brooke got up from her position on the bed._

"_You don't know? Well asshole, you just kissed me! Need I remind you of Peyton, your girlfriend?" Brooke asked, pacing in front of the bed._

"_I'm sorry." he finally got out, stopping Brooke's pacing. "I shouldn't have done that. It's not fair to you, or to Peyton... I'm sorry."_

"_This wasn't supposed to happen." she muttered after minutes of awkward silence, before slumping down into the chair at Lucas' desk._

"_The kiss?" he asked, not looking at her._

"_Any of it. That kiss, coming to your house, wearing your clothes." Brooke said, pulling at the hem of the oversized t-shirt._

"_We were just watching a movie Brooke." Lucas said, looking over at her somber expression._

"_You and I both know it wasn't just a movie Luke." she responded sadly and after a few moments, he nodded his head. "I think I should go."_

_He brought his head back up to look at her. "Please don't go Brooke." She shook her head and grabbed her dress off of the back of the chair._

"_I should go." she said once more, as if that was the final decision. She left to go change in the bathroom, and Lucas ran his hands through his hair._

_How had he been so stupid? Kissing Brooke when he was dating Peyton. Yeah, he had unresolved feelings for Brooke, but he didn't know how she felt. And again, he was dating **Peyton**. He heard the door open behind him and he turned around to see Brooke back in her dress. He smiled, even though he knew he shouldn't, at how beautiful she looked._

"_Can you give me a ride home?" she asked sheepishly, something that surprised Lucas._

"_Of course." he said before they left his house._

_They pulled up to Rachel's house and he got out with her to walk her to the door. They stood on the porch awkwardly, his hands resting in the pockets of his pants. "I should get inside." she said, releasing a huge breath at the same time._

_He nodded, and went in to give her a quick, friendly hug but was cut off by her lips crashing into his. She couldn't believe she was kissing him. After everything that happened with the sex tape, and everything with Lucas and Peyton, she knew that she shouldn't be doing this. This was _**wrong**. _She hated people who did this, yet she couldn't take her lips off of his._

_When air became an issue, they pulled apart, panting. Then, she took it a step farther, a step that would ultimately change her life forever. "I need to be with you."_

_He nodded eagerly in agreement and leaned down to give her a peck on the lips. "Just for tonight." She smiled at his sentence and he smiled back, leaning in for another kiss._

"_And then." she said in between kisses as they made their way upstairs, "we're done."_

_He stopped kissing her, unsure of how he felt about what she had just said. "Done?"_

"_Done. This is our closure. After this, we're done. For good." Brooke said, not catching the sadness in his face before leaning back in to kiss him._

_Shocked as he was, it took a few seconds before he responded to the kiss. Maybe this is what they needed. One last time to end it. To tie everything up, all their loose feelings. As she fiddled with his buttons, he unclasped the back of her dress, her straps falling off her shoulders in the process. After tonight, they we're done. Never to come together again._

The last time he saw those lips, they muttered a tearful goodbye, before leaving for what he thought was forever. They were so close. Close to each other, close to kissing, close to being with one another once more. They both knew now, if they hadn't known before, that that night wasn't closure. It was the night that opened their eyes.

He leaned in, taking the plunge, but just as he did so, the song ended. She pulled back, knowing that if she kissed him, everything would come out, and she wouldn't be able to leave him. She cleared her throat, pulling her hand out of his, before bringing both of her hands down to fix her dress even though it didn't need fixing.

"Thanks for the dance Lucas." she muttered quietly, only glancing up at him before she gave him a small smile and turning away.


	6. Sex and Candy

Aish, I am so sorry you guys. I haven't updated in liek forever. This chapter was actually pretty hard to write and I think it's fairly premature, but I had to write it in order to move on with the story. I promise there will be more flashbacks in up coming chapters and I promise to have the next chapter up by next monday. Also, forgive me if this chapter seems a bit cracked out. I am trying to get this posted before I have to actually sleep lol. Thank you guys SO much for the reviews, they mean a bunch! I hope you guys love this chapter!

5,184,000 seconds. 86,400 minutes. 1,440 hours. 116 days. Eight and a half weeks. Almost two months. That is how long it's been since she had last spoken to Lucas.

Brooke sighed as she looked down into her cup of coffee, something she had gotten addicted to over the years. Henley would be up soon, already way too perky for 8 am. It was Wednesday, their park day. It was also, her new day off. Schedules had been switched around and now she worked primarily Thursday through Sunday giving her Monday through Wednesday off. Of course, she'd be called in for special parties and she would get paid overtime, which had happened four times in the past two moths meaning that her car was now fixed and she could start putting money into the AC fund.

Henley had been asking about Lucas a lot. She had been asking about everyone from the wedding a lot. She had taken a special liking to Katherine, which now that Brooke thought about it, was Henley's aunt. The only person she has kept in contact though is Rachel and Mouth. She didn't tell anybody else where she lives or her number. All they knew was that she lived in New York City. Rachel had told her that everyone kept calling asking for information on her, but Rachel was kind enough not to send any of the information out.

"I may be a bitch," she had said while sitting on Brooke's couch next to Henley, " but I wouldn't do that to you. You have way too much to 'baggage' and I know you don't want it to get out. Especially to _him_."

Brooke sighed once more before getting up and walking over to the sink, placing her half empty cup into it. She looked across the room, looking out of the window. It was bright and sunny, clearly the makings of a good day. As she walked off to go get dressed, she silently prayed in her head, that it would remain a good day. Lord knows she deserved it.

* * *

"Momma, it's getting hot." Henley said as she ran up to Brooke, wiping the sweat off of her forehead.

"I know sweetie." Brooke said as she discarded her thin sweater. It was August in New York City it was more than hot, it was roasting. "Do you want to go home?"

Henley looked in-between her mother and the playground for a long time before she turned her head back to Brooke and nodded sadly. "Honey, we can stay if that's what you want."

Henley shook her head. "It's too hot. I want to go home and eat ice cream." Brooke nodded and picked up her daughter.

"What kind of ice cream do you want?" Brooke asked as they stopped in front of a street vendor.

"Chocolate!" Henley said excitedly.

"Two chocolates please." Brooke said to the vendor as she set Henley down on the ground. "Stay right next to me."

Henley nodded and stared out at the crowded park. So many people, so many that she didn't even know. But then, she saw him, sitting over on a bench. Without thinking about it, she skipped over to the man who was reading on the bench.

"OKay Henley, here is your-" Brooke turned around to see her daughter missing. "Henley?" Brooke looked around, not spotting her daughter anywhere near the vendor. That's when panic set in. "Henley?" She began roaming the park, having tossed away the ice cream. SHe didn't need to worry about the ice cream trailing down her hand, she needed to find her daughter.

"Excuse me? Have you seen my little girl? She's about yay high, brown curly hair, blue eyes. She's wearing a pink dress and white sandals." Brooke asked a woman who had been running around the park.

The woman nodded, much to Brooke's relief. "She's over on that bench." The woman pointed and Brooke followed her finger. Sure enough, henley was sitting on the bench , talking to some man that Brooke didn't know.

"Thank you **so** much!" Brooke told the woman before running off to her daughter. "Henley Davis S-" Brooke stopped yelling when Henley, and Lucas, turned around.

"Momma! Look!" Henley said excitedly as Brooke walked up to the bench.

"Henley don't you ever walk away from me again! Do you know how worried I was? I couldn't find you." Brooke said, picking Henley up and holding her tight. "I told you to stay by me."

"I'm sorry Momma, but I didn't go off with a stranger." Henley said, patting her mother's back.

"Honey that doesn't matter. When I say stay by me I mean stay by me." Brooke said, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Where's our ice cream?"

"I dropped it when I couldn't find you." Brooke said, setting her daughter down on the bench. "Hi Lucas."

"Hey Brooke. I'm sorry about all this." Lucas said with a small laugh.

"It's okay. You didn't know she was going to run after you." Brooke said as she sat down next to Henley. "What are you doing here?"

"I moved here last month. Got a small apartment about 5 blocks from here." Lucas said, setting down his book.

"That's great." Brooke said, even though she was torn on the idea. "How's it going getting a publisher?"

"Pretty good. I have two offers." Lucas said as Henley hopped off the bench. She walked over to the other side of Lucas, picking his book up off of the bench.

"What's this?" Henley asked.

"The Winter of Our Discontent. It's a very good book." Lucas said, catching a glimpse of Brooke out of the corner of his eye.

"Is it good?" Henley asked, flipping through the pages.

"I think it is. Your mom's read it too. You should ask her." Brooke perked up at being mentioned and looked down at the book.

"Did you like it Momma?"

"Honey, I thought it was super boring. But, I don't really like books. Not like you or Lucas. You'd probably like it when you're older though." Brooke said, flattening her daughter's curls.

"Why wont I like it now?" Henley asked, setting the book back down.

"Because you wont understand any of it." Brooke said with a soft smile. Henley nodded before climbing on to her mother's lap.

"Can we go now? It's really hot Momma." Brooke nodded, picking Henley up into her arms before standing.

"It was nice seeing you Lucas." Brooke said, gathering her stuff.

"Brooke." Lucas grabbed his book before continuing. "Do you guys want to come over to my apartment? It's closer and I'd really like it if you guys would come. I'll make you guys lunch."

"I dunno Lucas." Brooke said looking down at her daughter who had already begun the puppy eyes.

"Please Momma. Plus, we won't have to walk in the sun so far." Henley pleaded and Brooke reluctantly nodded. "Yay!"

"I promise you wont regret it." Lucas said with a smile. Brooke offered a small smile back before continuing to walk. She was struggling a little with both Henley and her bag on her shoulder. "Here." Lucas said, grabbing the bag from her.

"Thanks. " Brooke said, showcasing yet another smile. "So, how do you like New York so far?"

"It's nice. I like coming out to the park and reading. It really is a nice place to live." Lucas said, noticing that Brooke was trying to stifle a laugh. "What? Do you disagree?"

"This place is the city of devils Luke. Far from a nice place to live. Tree Hill, that was a nice place to live. But not New York." Brooke said, shaking her head. She looked over at Henley whose head was now laying on her shoulder, her eyes barley staying open.

"City of devils? That's a pretty harsh statement." Lucas said looking over at Brooke. She did the best she could to shrug, but stopped in fear of waking her daughter.

"It's true. I come here, get dropped by Victoria's Secret cause I'm 18, unmarried, and pregnant. No other fashion firm will higher me despite the fact that I'm more qualified then some of the people they've hired. The only place I could get a job was some small cafe where I got paid less than minimum wage and was fired because I couldn't waddle my way into the kitchen fast enough to put the fire out that the cook had started. People you don't even know are rude as hell to you,a nd it isn't just rich socialites, it could be a freaking bum. This town is full of people with broken dreams who are too bitter to get on with their lives." Brooke said as they made their way up the street.

"I never really thought of it that way." Lucas said as they stopped at a crosswalk

"Well, when your alone in the city with just your daughter to worry about, your mind travels to all sorts of things." Brooke said with a small laugh as the little white man appeared on the street crossing sign. She carefully switched Henley over to her other shoulder, her shoulder already full of both her and her daughter's sweat.

Lucas looked on at them and couldn't shake the feeling of how perfect the both looked. "Can I ask you something personal?" He asked her and she hesitated at first. SHe didn't know how personal he was going to get but she nodded her head none the less. "What made you decide to keep her? I mean, who had this whole life planned out. What made you stop and be a mom?"

She smiled to herself. The question hadn't gotten extremely personal, she was okay enough to answer it. "When I found out I was pregnant, I freaked out. I was dead set on abortion until the day before. I had gone into the doctor's office and sat down in the waiting room. It was my last check up appointment before the abortion. When I walked in a woman in her thirties had come out of the back crying and I felt bad for her. Obviously she had just lost her baby or something. I ended up sitting next to this woman who was heavily pregnant. She asked me if I was pregnant and I nodded sadly and she put her hand on mine. I will never forget what she told me." She paused, blinking back a few tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. He put his hand on her back and she looked at him out of the corner of her eye and noticed he was wearing a small smile. "She said that being a mom changes everything. That when you're young, it seems like the end of the world. But when you get to hold your baby, something you created, it is the greatest feeling in the world. And then, the doctor called me back and I took my very first ultrasound and I saw my baby girl on the screen and I knew I couldn't do it."

She looked down at Henley and smiled. "Sometimes, I'll just look at her sleeping. She looks like such an angel and I can't even fathom why I didn't want her." She finally looked over at him and his smile was wider now and he wrapped his arm around her.

"You're a good person Brooke Davis. And the best mom." Lucas said as he opened up his apartment door.

"Thanks." she said as she walked through the front door. "Holy crap Lucas. This place is huge. My whole apartment could fit in here."

The apartment was spacious. A huge living room, kitchen, and dining room that was fully furnished with simple, yet expensive looking furniture. She noticed that the dining table was the same one that had been in Karen's house all those years before. The kitchen was far bigger than hers, plenty of counter space.

"It's way too big for me. I mainly got it for when family visits." Lucas said as he placed Brooke's bag and his book on the dining table, Brooke already laying Henley down on the couch. "Would you like the tour?"

"Sure. Do you mind if I turn on the tv? I don't want her freaking out if she wakes." Brooke asked and Lucas nodded, walking over and clicking on the tv. "So, the tour."

Lucas and Brooke walked towards the hallway where Lucas began his tour. "This is the bathroom. Not too big not too small. This room is the spare bedroom, not a lot of furniture in here, just a bad dresser and tv. Then this room is for my sister and Michael and Madison." Lucas said, opening the final door in the hallway.

"Wow, this is really nice. You did all this just for them?" Brooke asked, looking at the small twin beds and green walls.

"Yeah. I'm their uncle and older brother. I have to spoil them rotten." Lucas said with a smirk.

"So, where is it that you sleep if these are the spare bedrooms?" Brooke asked and Lucas smiled.

"This way." Lucas walked back towards the living room reaching a door next to the couch. Brooke had thought it was a closet but little did she know it was Lucas' bedroom.

"It's nice." Brooke said looking around the big room filled with Lucas' belongings. The room was huge and probably as big as her living room kitchen and dining room combined. He walked past her and sat down on his bed, sinking into the mattress that he had yet to get used to yet.

He nodded with a smile on his face and looked at her briefly, taking in the sight before him. She was covered in sweat, but she was so beautiful, more so now if it was even possible. She looked over at him surprised to see him staring at her intently. "what?" she asked with a giggle bringing her hand to her face. "Is there something on my face?" She couldn't figure out if her gloss was smudged or maybe some how when she dropped the ice creams that a drop flew on to her face.

He shook his head, loving the fact that her dimples were in full bloom. "What is it then?"

"You look beautiful. That's all." he said some what shyly and Brooke could, surprisingly, feel herself blush in response. She walked over to him, sitting down next to him on the edge of the bed, trying not to sink too far into the bed. "Thanks." she said quietly, her hand lightly grazing his. It all seemed so incredibly middle school. Like they were still so many taboo things and everyone was still innocent, if only for a moment. That's when all the little things seemed so big and those are the moments everyone wishes for now. And that's what they were getting. The stolen glances in the park, the light, unintentional grazes.

She looked over at him, and at exactly the same time, they both moved towards each other, their eyes closing in unison. It's far too early to do this, but in a way, it's been coming for the past five years. So maybe it wasn't too early. Maybe it was the perfect time to do this, to finally achieve what both so desperately carved and needed. To eliminate their wants, finally turning them in to something tangible.

Her hand cupped his face, his own hand going into her hair. holding on to the back of her head. It's like everything is in slow motion, exactly like the movie moment everyone wishes they could have. Their lips finally touch and the both relax, falling into one another.

Her lips are just as soft as he remembered and she felt his bottom lip quiver for a second under hers, just as it always did when they kissed. His tongue traced her bottom lip and she doesn't hesitate in granting him entrance. They completely lost themselves in the kiss and only broke apart when they heard Henley's shriek from the living room.

Brooke pulled away instinctually, already in mother mode. They look at each other, both trying to regain normal breath. She could tell that he was going to say something, but as of that moment it was perfect and she doesn't want to ruin it. So, she smiled at him before getting up and walking to her daughter.

"Baby what's wrong?" Brooke asked as she entered the living room to see her daughter cowering behind a pillow.

"Is the orange lady gone?" Henley asked, her voice quivering.

"What orange lady?" Brooke asked, confused as to what her daughter was talking about.

"On the tv." Henley replied, followed by sniffing. Brooke looked at the tv to see and interview ending with Donnatella Versace, who was with out a doubt, the orange lady Henley was referring to.

"Aw, baby." Brooke said, picking her little girl up and settling her into her lap. It was funny, that her daughter was afraid of a designer but at that moment, all Brooke wanted to do was make all of her daughter's tears disappear. "It's okay. It was just Donnatella Versace and she's gone now. She can't hurt you. It's alright now." Brooke whispered as Henley buried her face into the crook of her mother's neck. Brooke rubber her back soothingly and saw Lucas, once again smiling at her from the doorway. That's when Brooke let herself slip into her own little fairy tale. She pretended that Lucas knew Henley was his daughter and that they all lived in the huge apartment. That they were really one big happy family on their way to living happily ever after.

* * *

"That was a pretty good movie." Brooke said as the credits began to role. Without realizing it, she and Henley had spent the whole day with Lucas. He had made them lunch and then they went out to get ice cream and then back to his apartment for a couple of movies, dinner finding its way in between a movie. And despite their previous kiss, it was a pleasant day not filled with an ounce of awkwardness. She looked at the clock and almost didn't believe what time it was. "Oh my gosh, it's 11:55."

Lucas looked at the clock, also surprised at how quickly the day had passed. "I should get me and her home." Brooke said, looking down at Henley, who was asleep next to Lucas, leaning into him.

"It's late Brooke. I don't want you walking back to your apartment this late at night. Not with Henley." Lucas said and Brooke shrugged. "You can stay here. I have enough room. You know that."

"I dunno Lucas." Brooke said, contemplating the situation in her head.

"Brooke, it'd make me feel better knowing that you two weren't walking down the street in New York at midnight." Lucas pleaded, and something in Brooke broke and she finally nodded her head.

"I'm going to go put her in bed." Brooke said, gently picking up Henley.

"I'll get you some extra clothes to sleep in." Lucas said as he got up, turning the tv off in the process.

When Brooke got into the spare room, she laid Henley gently on the bed, pulling her dress off in the process. It was going to get extremely hot tonight and she didn't want Henley having any extra heat on her. "Night baby." Brooke whispered, kissing Henley on the forehead before getting up and silently shutting the door. She walked into her own spare room, noticing that there was a T-shirt and basketball shorts on the bed. She shut the door and slipped off her pants, quickly slipping into the shorts. But, instead of putting on the T-shirt, she walked into the living room where Lucas was locking up.

"Lucas? Do you have a tank or something? I'm going to roast in this shirt."

"Um, I think so." He left her momentarily, disappearing into his room before reappearing with a white tank. "Here you go."

"Thank you so much." Brooke said, trading him shirts. "Night Lucas."

"Night Brooke."

* * *

"Momma!" Brooke jolted awake upon hearing her daughter called her. It took Brooke a minute to figure out where she was before she actually got to Henley in the room to find Lucas already in there.

"Henley, baby what's wrong?" Henley's words were muffled due to the fact that she was sobbing into Lucas' shoulder but Brooke could make out the words 'orange', 'lady' and 'bed'. "Did you dream the orange lady was under your bed?"

Henley nodded and then reached out for her mother. Brooke picked her up and rubbed her back, swaying back and forth. "The orange lady isn't under your bed honey I promise."

"She's under there." Henley cried and Lucas got up.

"Do you want me to check the beds and closet?" he asked Henley, who nodded in response, using her fists to dry her tears. He went over to the closet, and Brook followed, so Henley could see that there was nobody in the closet and they all did the same with the beds.

"See? There's nothing to worry about." Brooke said as Henley's tiredness began to take over. Brooke laid her back down on the bed and sat with her for a couple of minutes until she was sure Henley was asleep. Then, she got up quietly and followed Lucas out of the room.

"Thanks." she whispered, shutting the door quietly behind her.

She stopped when she saw him shaking his head. "It's okay. It's not a big deal." She sighed and nodded her head, smiling up at him. She took in his appearance, one that hadn't changed much in 5 years. His arms were tone, it was obvious that he had kept working out over the years despite the fact that he stopped playing ball. He was shirtless, dressed only in his boxers due to the excruciating summer heat. Her eyes moved to his perfectly sculpted chest, his 6 pack showing proudly. She bit her lip, trying to shake that naughty thoughts from her head.

Lucas also looked Brooke up and down. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She was wearing his wife beater, hanging loosely on her and pooling down around her hips. She had discarded his basketball shorts, most likely because of the heat. Now, the only thing covering her bottom half was her black lace panties.

Their eyes reached each others at the same time, both noticing the want in their eyes. "Um." Brooke spat out, noticing that Lucas was coming closer to her. Her eyes closed as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She reopened them to see his gorgeous blue eyes staring back at her, his hand cupping her cheek.

\Like animals, they lurched towards each other, their lips attaching to one another immediately. Her hands were tightly wrapped around his neck, his own running up and down her back. Their tongues battled each other as his hands moved down to her ass, picking her up. Instinctively, her legs wrapped around his waist, her mouth leaving his so she could move to the sensitive spot behind his ear that she knew he loved. She heard him groan and she smiled as Lucas walked them into his room. She detached herself from his neck, noticing that the space had already started to darken, proof soon to be there for days. His hands held her securely by the hips as she quickly discarded her shirt, leaving them in similar outfits. He laid her down softly, taking in the sight of her beautiful body. She giggled underneath him, reaching up to pull him back down to her.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked as he left butterfly kisses on her collar bone.

Her breath had already become distraught, her chest heaving up and down. "Lucas." she said as his mouth reached her breast., Had she wanted to say no, he would have been making it very difficult.

"Hm?" he asked. It was more of a noise considering his mouth never left her breast.

Her eyes closed tight and she bit her lip, trying to surpress a moan. His mouth was doing wonders, sucking with just enough pressure to make her feel absolutely wonderful yet leave her wanting so much more.

When she didn't continue her sentence, he stopped and lifted his head from her chest, much to her disappointment. "Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head. "Shut up." she mumbled, bringing his head down to hers. She felt him smile against her lips. Soon after their kiss, his head moved back down to her chest, now paying special attention to her other breast. His hands trailed down her body, running them slowly over her curves. His fingers slipped into her panties, brushing over her awaiting center.

She gasped and he lifted his head to look at her. SHe had a grin on her face that got even bigger when two of his fingers slipped into her with ease. It'd been so long since she'd been touched, she had almost forgotten how good it felt, how good he felt. She got wrapped up in the feeling, not noticing that Lucas had fully removed her panties. Within minutes she was close and Lucas added just enough pressure to her sensitive bud while moving his fingers at a rapid speed to send her over the edge sooner than she had thought.

"Oh my god." Brooke moaned, feeling absolutely satisfied. He smiled down at her, happy that he was the one who made her make that noise. She propped herself up on her elbows, capturing his lips as she did so. She flipped them over easily, straddling him once he was on his back. SHe kissed her way down his body, starting with the place right behind his head. When she reached the top of his boxers, his hand found hers and their fingers laced together. In one swift moment she slid off his boxers, taking in the sight of him. She looked up at his face as she began to stroke him. She was pleased when a smile popped on his face. Always wanting to please him, she lowered her head, taking him into her mouth.

"Feeling her warm mouth around him, he let out a groan, not believing that this was happening. That she was here, that they were finally doing this again. She was wonderful, just as great as he remembered. He couldn't believe he had let her slip through his fingers that night 5 years ago.

He was getting close but he didn't want it to be _that_ way. Practically reading his mind, she stopped and lifted her head. She looked into his eyes and bit her bottom lip. She'd never preferred to do that but with Lucas, she's want to do that for him because she knew he liked it. Still, despite being Brooke Davis, she always felt a bit embarrassed when going down on the many men of Brooke Davis.

He smiled at her and brought her up to him, kissing her softly before turning them over. "You're gorgeous." he muttered as he finally slipped inside of her./

Brooke shook her head. Obviously she hadn't been successful in shaking the dirty thoughts. She looked at Lucas whose hand still cupped her cheek. She wanted to be with him like that again, but as of right now, all she could handle, all they could handle was a kiss. She wasn't about to be like the old Brooke Davis and throw herself at him while they stood in front of the room where her daughter was sleeping at 2 o'clock in the morning. She did however, let her self slip, and placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Goodnight Lucas." She whispered once they pulled apart. She walked away back to the spare room, leaving him standing in the hallway speechless.

So if you haven't guess that big scene was only a figment of Brooke's imagination lol. I wrote that especially for Shaz since she was complaining on OTH 911 about there not beign enough mature brucas stuff. So, I hope you enjoyed it shaz lol.


	7. No Way Back

Hey guys. Thank you oh so much for the reviews!(and SHaz, I'm glad you loved it lol). So, I'm satisfied with this chapter so I figured I'd post it. I promise the next chapter will be happier(ish). And answer the questions that this one leaves. Oh, and in the flashback I mention Brooke singing Happy Birthday in her head when shes washing her hands. I read in an article that ur supposed to sing Happy Birthday once while washing your hands and that's like a good amount of time to wash ur hands. so yeah lol. I hope you guys like it! DISCLAIMER- I own nothing :(

"Damn it Rachel! All I want is the freaking number!" Peyton shouted, trying to keep her voice down. She was trying yet again to get Brooke's number from Rachel, and was once again, failing to do so. She stood in the kitchen of the apartment she shared with Jake in her robe, making scrambled eggs.

Everyone was still asleep, but Peyton knew Rachel was an early riser and figured that if she called early enough, Rachel'd still be so sleepy (or hung over as she sometimes was) that she'd give her the number. "Peyton, I am not giving you her number! She doesn't want you or anyone else to have it." Rachel said calmly although her voice was clearly filled with irritation.

"It's not like I'm going to stalk her or use her phone number to track down where she is. I just want to talk to her." Peyton tried once more, tuning off the burner. She already knew that Rachel wasn't going to give it to her today.

"If she wants to talk to you, she'll contact you." Rachel said before hanging up the phone.

Peyton sighed, running her hand through her messy hair as she hung up the phone. "Bitch." she mumbled under her breath as she walked over to the fridge. She rummaged around for a few minutes, finally finding the cheese she was looking for, grabbing the orange juice while she was at it. She stood back up, kicking the fridge door closed with her foot and walked back over to the stove.

"Morning." Jake said with squinty eyes and a smile. Peyton started sprinkling the pre-shreded cheese on the eggs before looking over at Jake who had taken a seat at their small dining table.

"Sleep well?" she asked, zipping back up the baggy that the cheese was in. He nodded in response even though she wasn't looking. "That's good." He liked how she knew him so well that he didn't even have to answer her with words and she'd already know his answer.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked, walking over to her and placed a light kiss on her cheek.

She smiled at the contact and she shrugged. "Just got up early. Plus I had some calls to make."

"Rachel?" Jake asked even though he already knew the answer. It seemed like ever since the wedding, Peyton had been obsessed with getting back in contact with Brooke.

"No, well, not just Rachel." Peyton stammered although she wasn't sure why. "I was going to call my dad, and Haley, and the paint store too."

Jake just shook his head, getting three glasses out of the cabinet. "I don't get why this is bothering you so much."

"It's not bothering me!" Peyton said defensively. She hit Jake on the shoulder when she saw the smirk on Jake's face. "It's not okay? I just." She stopped, gathering her thoughts before continued. "I don't get why she'd come to the wedding and then just leave again." She had answered her at the wedding, that it was for Rachel and Mouth but she knew that wasn't the reason. If that was the case, she would have come down for Michael's birth.

"People have their reasons Peyt." Jake said, rubbing Peyton's back.

"I know, but I want to know why and I can't ask." Peyton said somewhat helplessly.

"Maybe the 'why' hurts more than not knowing." Jake said, knowing that it wasn't going to help.

"Not everyone has great reasons though. I mean, she's keeping in touch with Rachel, but nobody else?"

"Maybe she feels like she can trust Rachel more." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted them.

"Exactly! I was her best friend! And now she doesn't ever want to talk to me again?" She was surprised when she felt tears on the edge of her eyes.

"Again, I say maybe she's protecting you." Jake said, pulling Peyton in for a hug. "When you first sent Ellie away, was it easier not knowing why she had come? Not knowing about the cancer?"

"It hurt all the same." Peyton said quietly into Jake's ear as Jenny appeared in the doorway.

_She stood in the bathroom, washing her hands thoroughly, prolonging the activity so she wouldn't have to go back out to the wedding. She was singing 'Happy Birthday' for the 30th time in her head when the bathroom door opened._

_She focused down on her hands, watching the mass of bubbles gather at the bottom of the sink. When the other woman cleared her throat awkwardly before retreating to a stall, Brooke figured it out who it was. The second person she wanted to see the least._

_When she heard the stall door close and lock, she let out a silent sigh of relief. She looked at her appearance in the mirror, finally shutting off the water. Her lips were dry and her curls were slightly frazzled. She figured that could last her about 10 more minutes, redoing her appearance. The only question now was whether to face Blondie 1 or Blondie 2. She was drying her hands when she heard the toilet flush, realizing in her head that she would now have to face Blondie 2._

Drip. _Before the stall door opened. Brooke walked back to her spot in front of the sink where she had been methodically washing her hands. When Peyton walked out of the stall, she purposely went to the sink at the other end of the counter. She noted that Brooke was carefully applying her lip gloss, slower than anyone would ever apply gloss._

_They were waiting for one another to initiate conversation, or maybe they were both praying that someone would walk in and save them from talking to one another. "I'm sorry." Brooke said meekly, yet genuinely. _Drip. _She didn't look at Peyton when she said it, instead focusing on the mascara she was now applying. Upon hearing those words, Peyton looked at Brooke in the mirror, not sure she had said anything. She would have thought it was all in her head too had Brooke not stopped what she was doing to meet her gaze. _Drip.

_She wasn't sure what Brooke wanted in response, if she wanted one at all. But, she figured that after everything that happened during their senior year, Brooke deserved an apology as well. "Me too." _Drip.

_It was silent once again. The only noise that filled the room was the soft murmur of the people talking in the ballroom and the continuous _drip drip drip _from one of the sinks. "Why'd you come?" Brooke's eyes moved back to Peyton. _Drip. _She raised an eyebrow in question and Peyton continued. "You haven't spoken to any of us in 5 years. Why'd you come now?" _Drip.

"_I came for Rachel and for Mouth." Was what finally came out of Brooke's mouth after a moment of drip filled silence._

"_Are you going to keep in contact?" _Drip. "_Or are you just going to disappear for another 5 years?" _Drip. "_Maybe pop up at our high school reunion."_

_Brooke shook her head at the hostile tone and looked back down. "You make it seem like I'm some huge bitch for leaving." _Drip.

"_You are! You left without a goodbye and haven't spoken to anyone!" Peyton shouted, her voice echoing in the tile filled room. _Drip.

" _I had my reasons for leaving Peyton!" Brooke said, walking over to the curly blonde. _Drip. "_And I have my reasons for staying away. Ya know," _Drip. "_I don't get why you're so angry? I mean, 'People Always Leave' right?" _Drip. "_You should've prepared yourself for it. Oh, wait, I was dead to you, guess I was already gone." _Drip. _Brooke walked back to the sink, stuffing the contents back in, not noticing the picture that had fallen. _Drip.

_She walked over to the door, getting ready to open it before she stopped. "It's weird." she started with a laugh. _Drip. "_I could've sworn you were glaring at me while I danced with Lucas. Kinda like prom night huh?" _Drip.

"_I wasn't glaring because I was jealous." Peyton said, her voice a little higher now. " I was glaring because I already know that you are going to leave again and break his heart." _Drip.

"_You act like you still know me." Brooke said, shaking her head as the blonde quirked an eyebrow. _Drip.

"_Then tell me you're going to stay." Peyton challenged and Brooke looked down._

Drip. _The only answer Peyton got was the clacking of Brooke's heels on the ground, walking away from her and all of Tree Hill. _Drip.

"Momma." Brooke woke to the soft voice of her daughter and the light tap on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to get her vision straight.

"Morning Momma." Henley said cheerily, yet quietly once Brooke's eyes stayed open.

"Good morning. How long have you been up?" Brooke asked, sitting up in the bed. She took in a deep breath, the scent of bacon and eggs already filling the room.

"For a little while." Henley said, putting her hand in her mother's. "Come on. It's time for breakfast."

They walked into the living room, hand in hand. The smell of bacon got stronger. "Morning." Lucas said brightly, spooning eggs on to three different plates. Brooke smiled in response, going behind the counter to help herself to some coffee and to get Henley some more juice. "So, what do you plan on doing today?"

Brooke waited before she answered, looking at Henley intently who seemed to be lost in the book she was attempting to read. "I have work later, but other than that Henley and I were going to hang out. Maybe go swimming." Lucas nodded but Brooke could sense he was going to ask something. "What are your plans?"

He shrugged, and place the now empty pan back on the stove, turning the bacon off. "I have a meeting later with a publisher." Satisfied with the answer, Brooke walked over next to him, her shoulder brushing against his bare one. She looked at him for a minute before running her hand over his head.

"Do you plan on keeping it short?" Brooke asked and Lucas shrugged once again.

"I was thinking about growing it out." he said, catching Brooke's face. "What? Do you think it's a bad idea?"

Brooke put her hands up, a way of saying she meant no harm, and shook her head. "I don't think it's a bad idea. I just think you look better with shorter hair. Senior year? You're hair was way too long." She could tell he was contemplating this. "Still a brooder I see."

"I wasn't brooding." Lucas said, his eyes opening up, having been in the squinty position that was on Henley's face at that moment as well.

"Yes you were." Brooke said with a small laugh, grabbing two plates. "Come on Henley. Put the book down. It's time to eat."

Henley grumbled a little before placing the book down. She walked over to the table and climbed into her chair, grabbing her for almost immediately. Brooke smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head as she began to eat, glad that her daughter was behaving so well.

By the time she sits down herself, Lucas has joined them at the table, bringing Brooke's coffee with him. "Thank you." He nodded and proceeded to eat his food, listening to the random sentences that were coming out of Henley's mouth. It was a nice breakfast, Brooke remaining silent for most of it. She chose to watch her daughter interact with the man she loved. She had gotten in too deep. Henley was Lucas' daughter. She'd have to tell him eventually. With him being so inviting yesterday and the kisses they had shared, it was obviously going to be sooner than expected. But, telling him about Henley would mean telling him everything, and she definatly wasn't ready for that.

"I love oranges." Henley said to no one inparticular as she picked up the orange slice that laid on her plate.

"You should, that's all you wanted when you were in my belly." Brooke said with a smile, glancing up from her food.

"_Mmm." Brooke said as soon as the orange slice hit her tongue. She was 6 months pregnant and couldn't get enough oranges. She was on her break, sitting in the back room, a billion orange peels in front of her. The juice from the orange dribbled out of her mouth, falling on her full breasts, then sliding down to her growing belly. She couldn't go through a meal now without eating at last one full orange. Mitch, the cook, joked that her baby would come out orange, which had of course gotten her worried. But it didn't matter because no matter how hard she tired, she couldn't resist an orange. She'd wake up in the middle of the night, craving them. So, she'd get up and eat 5 oranges before going back to sleep._

"I don't know what I'd do if I didn't like oranges." Henley said happily, her legs swinging from the chair.

"Do you guys want to do something before I have to go to my meeting?" Lucas asked off handily. He figured if he brought it up casually then Brooke would be more likely to say yes. That way, he could ask her what yesterday meant.

For once, Henley wasn't awake enough to beg. Instead, Henley was completely focussed on the task at hand which was eating her orange. Brooke looked up from her food to see Lucas' blue eyes looking at her. Oh how she wanted to get lost in those eyes. She felt herself slipping back in to her own little fairy tale.

Brooke sat there, knowing Lucas was expecting an answer. But, she had to contemplate this. Should she just cut all ties off now, or, do what she wanted and hang out with Lucas. If she cut off all ties, she'd be unhappy but she'd be safe. She wouldn't have to deal with telling Lucas about Henley and her job. But, with Lucas she could be happy, if he didn't hate her after telling him about the past 5 years. Brooke cursed in her head that Henley wasn't up enough to make up her mind for her.

He was two second away from sounding desperate and asking 'please?' but luckily, Brooke answered in enough time. Unfortunately it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. "I don't think it's a good idea Lucas."

* * *

Peyton closed the bedroom door, even though she didn't need to. Jake was at work and Jenny was at school. She opened the top drawer of her dresser, reaching under the stack of clothes to pull out the small picture.

_When the door slammed shut behind her, Peyton shook her head at the brunette. She couldn't believe she had actually came back and that she was planning on doing the same thing. Peyton sighed and dropped her head, closing her eyes for a minute, trying to remain calm. When she opened her eyes, the opened to a small picture on the ground. _Drip.

_She bent down and picked the picture up slowly. Beautiful little girl, a picture of Henley obviously, maybe a year or two ago. She figured she'd give it back to Brooke, despite the fact she was being a total bitch. 'This must be the picture Brooke had been showing earlier.' Peyton thought as she stood back up. _Drip. _She glanced at the back of the picture, just double checking it was indeed a picture of Henley. **Henley Davis**_ _was written in Brooke's loopy hand writing as Peyton had expected along with **2 years**_ _written in the bottom right corner. What Peyton didn't expect to see was **Scott**_ _written on the back of the photo as well. _Drip.

"_What?" Peyton gasped, honestly shocked that the little girl was a 'Scott'. She flipped the picture back over, studying the little girl closer now. Blue eyes. _Drip. _Sure, the two Scott brothers had blue eyes, but so did other people in the world. Plus, there is no way Brooke could've gotten pregnant with Lucas or Nathan's baby. She had been with Lucas and Haley with Nathan. Plus, Lucas and Nathan wouldn't do that, especially Nathan after everything that happened with the sex tape. _Drip. "_Wait." Peyton muttered, realizing what that then meant if Henley was in deed a Scott. _Drip.


	8. What It's Like

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I got this chapter done faster than I expected which I'm sure you guys are all happy about lol. Instead of doing my essay for english I chose to write this haha. I'm pretty happy with it and I hope you guys enjoy it! Next update should be by next Saturday! DISCLAIMER- Still own nothing.

"Hey Lucas." Peyton responded cheerily into the phone. It was noon now and she figured she'd try a different approach. If Rachel wasn't going to give her the number, she'd try Lucas. He was living in the same city as her and maybe, just maybe, he'd run into her. It wasn't exactly a long shot, but as of right now, it was her only shot.

The more she had thought about Henley and Lucas and Brooke the more it started making sense. It had to have been around prom, because a week after prom, Lucas had admitted to kissing Brooke the night of prom because of their fight. Which, she had been fairly mad about, but she had accepted it. Mainly because they were all separating in August and that stupid love triangle would finally be over and done with. But, with what Haley and Nathan had told her, Henley sounded a lot like Lucas. She read a lot, she was kind and polite and had the 'Scott' eyes.

Chances were, Lucas didn't know a thing, and probably didn't suspect a thing. Because, even though Lucas was called a 'deep and broody' guy, he was extremely dense. You had to spell things out for him so he could start to comprehend it. She'd made herself a little deal in her head. If he hadn't talked to Brooke, then she'd lie for her, using the best friend rule that technically didn't apply to them. But, if he had talked to her, she'd tell him about his daughter and hope that it worked out for the best.

"Peyt, this isn't a good time." Though they haven't dated in years and _they_ haven't been romantically involved for two years, to hear him call her that makes all sorts of feelings wake up inside of her. For years she's been Brooke Davis: single mother. She hasn't had a date since Chase and she hasn't felt any real feelings inside for a long time. Everything she felt was for her daughter, loosing herself completely to the title of 'Momma'. Not that she was complaining, she loved her daughter with all her heart, it's just she almost forgot what it was like to feel so human and girlie again. When he called her Peyt, pain and jealousy bubbled inside of her and she had to force herself not to glare down at her food.

'_Of course his precious Peyton calls him.'_ she thought, surprising herself. She felt like she had been placed back in high school, every old feeling coming back. Her hatred towards Lucas and Peyton for leaving her. The pain she felt when she looked at Lucas, because he could tell her so many great things that made her feel on top of the world, and then rip them all to shreds in one sentence, and then turn around and say those things to _her_. The jealousy she felt towards Peyton because she got everything she had ever wanted. She may not have been rich like Brooke but she got everything. She got a loving family, the boyfriends everyone adored, she got her Lucas (mind, body, and soul), she got her friends, she got to go to college, she got to live her life in this great way, she was gifted, and she was now one third of an almost perfect family.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Peyton asked, forgetting her earlier plan to focus on her friend.

"Nothing's wrong." Neither girl is looking at him yet they both know that something is clearly wrong. Both girls know him all too well, something that has plagued the friendship between the three for a while. Brooke knows that it was her answer that caused his voice to give off an out of character tone when he answered Peyton. She had hurt him, something she had never wanted to do, but she did it to protect him, or maybe really just to protect herself. Peyton on the other hand doesn't know what's wrong. She does know that despite his voice sounding perfectly normal, there was something about the way he answered that confirmed the fact that something was going on. She'd always been able to read his mind, they both were so much a like that it came easy to her now, unlocking his brain to dig out what information she wanted.

"What's wrong?" She can't be sure of it, but she can almost sense Brooke there. She can see her sitting on his couch, probably scantily clad in some shirt of his and no shorts on. In true Davis fashion, her legs would be tucked under her and her hair would be tied back in a messy bun, eating a bowl of cereal sloppily while watching her Dawson's Creek reruns that played at this time. Her daughter is probably a distant memory, left over night with some baby sitter that Henley should be looking after instead of the other way around.

Who's stuck in high school now?

"I just have someone over." She can't take it anymore. She has to get out of that room, that apartment, she has to get far away from what yesterday was. She put her fork down and picked up her plate and cup. She walked over to the sink, taking longer strides to hopefully get her there quicker without looking like she was rushing. She isn't looking at what lies in-between her and her goal (the sink) and she stubbed her toe the edge of the counter. She dropped the plate on the counter with a bang, her coffee cup still in hand only the contents are now on her and the ground. He walked into the doorway, confusion and worry mapped out on his face, the phone still pressed against her ear. Like the other woman, she mouthed 'I'm fine' so that the woman on the phone couldn't hear her, like she wasn't supposed to be there. Like it was illegal and wrong and the truth was, it was. She wasn't supposed to be there. It was wrong. She walked past him, once again brushing against his shoulder. Only now, it's not a loving brush, it's a brush done in haste and annoyance.

She is positive Brooke's there now and it makes her feel a little sick inside. Some would call it jealousy and she honestly doesn't know why she felt that way. She doesn't have feelings for Lucas, they didn't make sense and she did truly love Jake. But the thought of Brooke having him made her shudder. "She's there isn't she?" The way she said it makes him feel like he's just been caught cheating on his girlfriend. There is a bit of sadness in her voice but also anger and annoyance. It takes him back to high school, back when things were reversed.

He turned around to look at Brooke but she was making an effort not to look at him. She whispered something in Henley's ear before retreating to the spare bedroom. He followed her, still on the phone with Peyton who still hadn't gotten a response. He reached the doorway and her back is to him. She is clad only in her bra and the pair of jeans she was wearing the day before. His shirt is in her hands and he can see that she is staring at the stain that had already started to sink in. Without thinking he started to answer Peyton. "Look Peyton-" She turned around, surprised that he was standing there. He hadn't followed right away, at least she didn't think so, but it made her a little on edge.

"Just tell her I have a picture she dropped at the wedding. It's of Henley." She doesn't want to deal with it now. They obviously have something going on and they are probably just as confused as they are. She could be a bitch and follow through with her plan and tell Lucas everything in one sentence, but she knows that is not what _they_ need and she doesn't think she could do that to Lucas or her former best friend. "Call me when you get a chance."

All he heard was dial tone as Brooke turned back away from him. He hung up the phone and placed it on his dresser that was located next to the door in his room. "Peyton said she has a picture of yours that you dropped at wedding." he said awkwardly and Brooke's head lifted.

"What picture?" Her voice sounded shaky and he thought that she was going to start crying.

"A picture of Henley." She was trying to remember what picture she took to the wedding. '_Shit.'_ Alarms went off in Brooke's head as she realized what Peyton had found. This wasn't going to be good.

"This can't happen." she whispered to herself, her index finger outlining the brown stain on the shirt. She felt like she was going to vomit. The last time she felt like this was when she took the job at Centerfolds. As a matter of fact, the day they hired her, she went into the bathroom and threw up three times. She laughed ironically to herself. How fucking Lifetime Movie-of-the-week was this? High school sweethearts part ways for college. Girl finds out she's pregnant and raising the child t hat the boy has no idea about. Boy and girl somehow run into each other. She confesses everything to him (including his daughter and her job as a prostitute) and he looks past it all because he loves her so much and they ride off happily in the sunset. What a load of fucking crap.

"What?" She shook her head and looked back to him sullenly.

"We can't happen." She already knew he wouldn't talk the news well. Who would? She was just going to save herself the pain, save him the pain, and just jump ship before they left port.

"But we kissed." She shrugged and stood up, throwing the shirt on the bed. She grabbed her own shirt and pulled it over her head as he stepped into the room, closer to her.

"It didn't mean anything." Brooke said blandly. She took her clothes off for men all the time, but that didn't mean anything now did it?

"'A kiss always means something'." He quoted her.

"We aren't in high school anymore." she rebutted. She wasn't about to let him turn this around.

"You know it still meant something Brooke. And I don't just mean the kiss yesterday. I mean what ever the hell happened in the hallway and what happened at the wedding. You can't tell me none of that meant anything." He honestly didn't think she could do it. That she could look him in the eye and basically tell him that they meant nothing, that they were nothing.

"It meant and still means **nothing**." Her words are cold and harsh and she is boring holes into his eyes. She is about a foot away from him and he can tell that she said it with a clenched jaw. "Goodbye." Was all she said when she left the room. He could hear her in the dining room talking to Henley, her voice normal and sweet now. A minute of two later he heard the front door shut and he can't believe it. He slumped down on to his bed with a heavy heart.

She had done to him what he had done to her.

And it was possibly the worst thing he had ever felt.

* * *

"Hello?" She had gotten her number from Rachel after a long tedious conversation. Rachel had spent the bulk of the conversation yelling at Brooke for throwing something great away. But, then Brooke had said that she herself was nothing great, and Rachel shut up. In the end, she finally ot the number just before she had to go to work.

So, here she was on her break at 10 pm, praying that Peyton would pick up. "Hey." she said weakly, not sure if she was thankful from Jake or not. "I'm not calling to late am I?"

"Of course not Brooke. You can call whenever you need anything." Jake really was the good one.

"Can I... can I talk to Peyton for a second?" Brooke asked and Jake let out a sigh of relief.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you called. She was been going crazy ever since the wedding." he answered with a laugh. "Hold on a sec."

It's silent for a minute or wo and she can hear the shuffling of the phone. She doesn't say anything when she put the phone up to her ear, instead she let Brooke initiate the conversation. She called because she knows that she knows. She called because she wants to make sure she wont say a word. "I'm so sorry." She sounded like she was crying or at least coming close and it threw Peyton off a bit.

"How could you?" she asked in a low harsh voice. Her words are angry and disappointed. "You kept his daughter away from him for 5 years? What the hell is wrong with you Brooke?" She sounded so disgusted with her. '_She doesn't even know the half of it.'_ Brooke thought.

"I-" she started to make her case when she was cut off.

"I don't want to hear your lame excuses Brooke. I want you to tell him."

"I can't."

"Yes you can. And you will or so help me god I will tell him myself." She was fuming, her shoulders tensing up.

"You don't understand Peyton. He is going to hate me." SHe was crying now but Peyton didn't care. The only thing on Peyton's mind was how selfish Brooke was.

"Of course he is going to hate you. There is no way he is going to take this well. You need to fucking tell him Brooke." She had long ago forgotten when the baby was conceived, she figured she could yell about that later. And right now, she just needed Lucas to know.

"There's more to it than you know Peyton."

"Really? because it seems pretty simple. You guys slept with each other, while we were dating I might add, you got pregnant, and you didn't tell him. All you have to do is call him or go see him and say 'I had your baby. She's yours.' and that's it!"

"Peyton please just let me tell you my side of the story before you say anything to him. Please Peyton I am begging you. I know we aren't best friends anymore but please, if our friendship ever meant anything you'll wait and hear me out." She was begging and it made her feel like crap. She didn't beg. It made her feel vulnerable and weak and worthless. But, that's who she really was, or at least, how she thought of herself.

It took her a long time to respond but she did. "I'm going to be in New York on Saturday. We'll talk then. I am giving you one chance Brooke. Don't fuck it up."


	9. Keep It A Secret

Hey everyone, sorry this update is a bit late. I wasn't super happy with the Brooke/Peyton convo and I'm still not completely satisfied, but I don't think i'll ever be lol. So another big thank you for the reviews! I've already hit the 100 mark which is such an ego booster you have no idea! lol Um, I've got the next chapter pretty much laid out, it's just me actually writing it, so it should be up by saturday, maybe sunday since I have my sisters' b-day party to go to. Hope y'all enjoy!

"_I can **not**_ _do this." Brooke whispered to herself as she waddled her way into the big brick building. Luckily, she had gotten a parking space close to the door and all she had to do was turn the corner and she was in the room she needed to be. She was going in for an ultrasound and had to pee like there was no tomorrow. She was tempted to just go to the bathroom and reschedule but she knew that either way, she'd have to do this and she'd just have to tough it out. She walked up to the receptionist desk and checked in, before settling down into a seat in hopes of trying to forget her urge to urinate._

_A few painful minutes later, Brooke looked up from her baby names book to see the doctor standing in the doorway. "Brooke?"_

"_Thank god!" Brooke said relieved, so unbelievably happy that she was finally getting called back. She was lead back into the dimly lit room and laid on the table after pulling her sweat pants down a little bit lower._

"_And how are you today?" the doctor asked as Brooke pushed her shirt up so that it laid between her growing chest and belly. "Sorry if this is cold. I think they just refilled it." Brooke then got the slight jolt of cold gel on her belly, causing her to tense a little bit._

"_I'm good. I've never needed to pee so bad in my life." Brooke said seriously and the doctor laughed in response. Sure the comment was a little funny but had Brooke laughed she would have wet herself on that table._

"_Well I'll try to be quick." the doctor said with a smile as she began to move the dopler across Brooke's large belly. At first all Brooke could see was static gray but with one swift move of the dopler, her baby appeared on screen. "There is your baby."_

_Brooke couldn't believe how out of whack her hormones were. "There it is." Brooke whispered with a smile, tears filling her eyes._

"_Would you like to know the sex?" Brooke looked up at the doctor with hopeful eyes and nodded quickly. A few more moves of the dopler and the doctor smiled. "That's your baby girl."_

Brooke woke up from her dream smiling. As she did every morning, the first thing she did was get up from her space on the couch and walk into her daughter's room. Henley was still sleeping, her mess of brown curls sprawled out on her light pink pillow. She had a small soft smile on her face, her eyes flickering underneath her eyelids.

Brooke smiled on at her daughter and quietly shut the door. As Brooke was making breakfast for the two, she realized that today, Peyton was coming into town. This wasn't going to be good. Brooke's smile dropped from her face as she turned off the burner.

She really hope that Peyton would be understanding, despite everything. Yes, their senior year had been very bumpy, and sure, Brooke hadn't talked to her in 5 years but that doesn't erase the 10 years they spent as best friends does it? "Of course it does." Brooke muttered to herself as she heard her daughter's door open.

* * *

Peyton walked down the busy New York streets, trying to find the small cafe Brooke was talking about. She was in one of the 'shadier' places of New York and her stomach started to twist as she thought of Brooke living in the area with her daughter.

Peyton had spent the bulk of her time on the plane ride to New York wondering what today would hold. Would Brooke be the same girl she was in high school? Had she really matured in the past 5 years? Peyton sighed to herself as she finally reached the small cafe that was wedged in between an apartment building and a bail bonds building.

She walked in, pushing her sunglasses up into her curly blonde hair. She scanned around the cafe until her eyes fell on Brooke and Henley, sitting in a booth towards the back of the cafe. Brooke was tickling Henley who was giggling loudly. Brooke looked up to see Peyton staring back at her. She knew that she needed to make a good impression, if only to keep her secret, so she waved Peyton over with a smile on her face.

"Hey Peyton." Brooke responded cheerily, flashing Peyton a dimpled smile. She motioned for Peyton to sit down and she did. "Henley put that down please." Henley put down the salt shaker and took a big gulp of water. She spoke to her daughter in a way that sounded stern, yet friendly and loving at the same time. Obviously, Brooke did take her job as being a mother seriously. "Thanks for seeing me."

"You have a side in all of this too. Plus, I'm not so evil that I'd just do that to you." Peyton said as she placed her bag down next to her. "I'm sorry that I was so harsh on the phone though. My anger got the best of me."

Brooke shook her head. "It's fine. You were protecting Luke. I know what it's like." She cocked an eyebrow and then looked down at the menu that now laid in her hands. They ordered a few minutes later and chatted about random little things until Brooke looked over at Henley and sighed. She ruffled her little girl's curls and then looked over at Peyton. "So I'm guessing you want the story right?"

"It is what I came here for." Peyton said, hoping she didn't sound too bitchy. She glanced over at Henley who was off in her own little world, coloring on the back of her paper place mat, stopping every once in a while to take a drink of water. Now that she knew Henley was Lucas', every little detail about Henley popped out.

"I found out I was pregnant two days before graduation." Brooke said, looking down at her hands instead of at Peyton.

"Why didn't you tell him then?" Peyton asked as the waitress brought their food to them.

"So he could give up on his dream? So I could ruin your relationship with him? What good would have come from telling him Peyton? He was going to Duke with you and Nathan and Haley and I was going to New York. I had an internship and a place at FIT. You two were finally together and happy. I didn't want to ruin that." Brooke said hoping that Peyton would understand where she was coming from. "You know damn well that he would have given up Duke to help me Peyton and that is **not** what I wanted for him. I wanted him to go and live his dream. Do what he wanted to do, to not feel obligated by me."

Peyton took a few bites of her sandwich before responding to Brooke. Brooke took that time to make sure Henley was eating and eat a few fires herself. "I understand that, but why not sometime in the past couple of years Brooke? We've been out of college for about a year. Why not tell him then?"

"To be honest Peyton, I wasn't going to tell him. I didn't think I'd ever see him, or any of you again. I made my decision to stay away from my life in Tree Hill. I couldn't go back there with Henley, who from the time she was born till about 2 looked exactly like Lucas. I didn't go back because I was embarrassed. I'm not proud of what I have done in these past 5 years other than my daughter."

"Then why come to the wedding?"

Brooke sighed and looked over at her daughter before answering Peyton's question. "So that Lucas could meet his daughter. I mean, I wasn't going to tell them, but at least they would have just met you know? That, and to be there for Mouth and Rachel."

"But you knew he'd want to keep in contact with you Brooke. Why put him through the pain of loosing you again?"

"I thought you guys were happily married Peyton. I thought that by now you'd be married and be thinking about kids. I wasn't going to ruin that. I didn't find out until the reception that you two had broken up and that you were with Jake. When I found out, it was already too late. Before I knew it I was dancing with Lucas and I let myself get to comfortable. I didn't think I'd see him again but then Henley and I were at Central Park and I set her down and then she was gone-"

"You lost your daughter in Central Park?" Peyton exclaimed with wide eyes. Henley coughed a little from the other side of the table, too busy with her drawings to listen to her mother's conversation. It was yet another thing she got from Brooke, her need to know everything that was going on.

"I set her down to get our ice cream cones!" Brooke retorted loudly. "I told her to stay by me but she didn't. Instead, she wandered over to Lucas who was sitting on a bench. Then he invited us back to his apartment and then I kissed him and then we just spent the whole day with him. Next thing I know it's 11:55 at night and he's asking me to stay the night and I know what you're thinking and no, I didn't sleep with him." Peyton smirked from across the table. "I did kiss him though."

"You kissed him?" She didn't feel jealousy but she wasn't sure that Brooke kissing Lucas was a good thing.

"Kinda... twice. I know, I shouldn't have and the next day after he hung up with you, I told him that the other day didn't mean anything and pretty much walked back out of his life."

"How could you do that?" She was angry again which shocked Brooke. "You need to stop toying with him Brooke! He is so in love with you it's crazy! You're the reason we broke up! I wanted Jake and he wanted you. He spent better part of our college years searching for you. Then you kiss him, totally leading him on, and then rip his heart to shreds?" It's amazing how protective of Lucas she is.

"I know that I shouldn't have kissed him or gone over to his apartment but I just missed him so much." Brooke looked sadly over at her daughter who has finished her plate of food and is now finishing the picture she was coloring. She gently wiped away some crayon flecks that were on Henley's cheek.

"You still love him don't you?" Peyton asked gently and Brooke looked over at her. It suddenly hit her just how much she had missed Peyton, just how much she missed Tree Hill. In New York, she didn't have many friends, only a few from work and they usually didn't socialize outside of work. She really had missed her best friend. She nodded sadly, finally admitting to someone else her feelings that had never gone away.

Peyton reached out and placed her hand on top of Brooke's and squeezed gently. "Then you need to be with him. And you need to tell him about Henley."

"I can't do that Peyton."

"Why in hell not? You love him, he loves you, he loves Henley, Henley loves him. You guys could totally be one big happy family." She found it amazing that she had hated Brooke so much before she came to New York, and was now pushing her towards Lucas.

"Well, he'll be angry with me when I tell him that I've kept his daughter from him for 5 years. Plus, I have too much other baggage, not just Henley." Brooke said, shaking her head. "I also just wanted to say sorry again."

"For?" Peyton asked as she reached for her ringing cell phone.

"For sleeping with Lucas when you were dating." Brooke said, hanging her head so Peyton couldn't see her face. She still couldn't believe that she had done that. She felt horribly guilty about it, she always had. She had given them such a hard time junior year and then she goes and does the same thing, only worse, the next year. "I don't regret it though. Because then I wouldn't have Henley and she's been my life these past 5 years."

Peyton nodded. Even though she and Jake had such a bumpy relationship in high school, she never regretted one bit of it. She loved Jake and Jenny too much to do that. She glanced down at her phone, seeing **LUCAS** flashing across the screen. She pressed ignore. She'd deal with him later. "That was pretty crappy Brooke, but it was inevitable right?"

"Here." Henley finally piped up when she was done with her picture. She pushed the place mat over to Peyton. "I made a story for you."

Peyton smiled and took the place mat from Henley. She looked down and glanced down at the pictures that were done in a comic book sort or style. One box after another creating a little story. From what Peyton gathered it was a story about her walking around trying to find the small cafe they were in, meeting a whole bunch of different people and seeing different things. "Thank you very much."

Henley smiled with satisfaction when she realized that the curly blonde liked her story. "You are very welcome." She took a drink of her water before looking over at Brooke. "Momma, I don't feel good."

Brooke frowned. "What doesn't feel good?" She pushed her daughter's hair back and felt her forehead.

"My tummy hurts and I'm really hot." Henley said, taking another drink of water.

"I think you have a fever baby. Come on, we got to get you home and then Momma has to figure out something with work." Brooke sighed to herself and started to gather her things. "It's been fun Peyton." She still wasn't entirely sure if Peyton was going to say something or not.

Peyton nodded and stood up as well, her purse already in her hand. "I promise I won't say anything. But you have to promise to tell him soon." Henley was in Brooke's arms now, tucking her head into the crook of her mother's neck.

"I will. I just need time." Brooke sighed. "So where does this leave us?"

Peyton shrugged. "On our way back to friends?" Brooke smiled and nodded.

* * *

To sum up her day in one word, Brooke would choose 'stressful'. She had started her day happily but then Henley had been difficult when she was getting dressed and they had rushed to the cafe thinking that they would find Peyton waiting there, ticked off that they were late. But they were early. She had a... decent conversation with Peyton who had promised that she wouldn't tell Lucas. But then of course, Henley got a fever and threw up on herself on their way home.

Of course, Henley being the difficult sick person, refused to lie down when they first got home. Finally, after a good 10 minutes, she got Henley to lie down and go to sleep. Brooke tried her best to keep the room cool, but with the August heat, it was hard. She kept the good fan that they had in her room and kept her window open.

Once Henley was asleep, Brooke went to clean up the bathroom that had throw up everywhere. By the time she was done it was 5 and she realized that she had to call work. Of course, that hadn't gone over well. Her boss' exact words were 'Get here or you're fired.'

So now she was sitting in the window sill in the living room, staring down at the busy street below her. She exhaled, letting a long stream of smoke out of her mouth. Yet another thing she picked up while in New York. It wasn't that she did it on a daily basis, hell she didn't even do it on a monthly basis, just whenever she got too stressed out. When life around her became too much to handle. She absolutely hated herself for it, the way it made her smell, the way it left stains on her teeth. Everything about it she couldn't stand, but she did it anyway, because even if it was just for a few minutes, it made her feel completely relaxed. That she could just take a deep breath of tobacco filled smoke, she could forget about how she smelled like b.o. and vomit and her problem of getting to work.

She brought the cigarette up to her mouth once more, breathing in deeply, letting the smoke fill her lungs. She exhaled slowly, letting the smoke slowly escape from her parted lips. She put the cigarette out on the fire escape outside the window before she got up. She was ready to go and take a shower before it hit her yet again, that she she had no one to watch Henley. The girl down the hall who was her usual baby sitter was out of town with her mom so she was out. Rachel and Mouth weren't going to be back in town until midnight so she couldn't ask them either. She didn't have anyone else to turn to until it hit her. Brooke laughed ironically to herself as she picked up her phone to dial Jake's number in order to get Peyton's cell phone number.

After a small chat with Jake, she hung up and called Peyton who picked up after 3 rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey Peyton, it's me." She really hope that this would work.

"Oh, hey." Peyton said and Brooke could tell she was with Lucas.

"Look, I know that we just talked everything out today but I'm in a bit of a jam and I need your help." Brooke said, bringing her thumbnail up to her mouth to chew on.

"What can I do?"

"I need you to watch Henley for me. You know how she was sick when we left the cafe? Well, she got really bad on our way home and I don't want to take her to work but I have to go to work or I'm out of a job. I'll pay you if you would just _please_ do this for me." She heard Peyton laugh and it had her confused for a second or wo. her she was, begging Peyton to help her with her baby girl and Peyton was laughing. Unless of course she was the same Peyton she was in high school, meaning she was probably making out with Lucas right now. Brooke shook her head. Her mind was always running away from the subject at hand.

"You don't need to pay me, I'll be happy to do it Brooke."

Brooke let out a huge sigh of relief. "Peyton you have no idea how much this means to me."

"It's fine. Just give me your address."


	10. Title and Registration

Hey there everyone! Once again an uber big THANK YOU for the reviews! So, again, I pretty much got chapter 11 laid out it's just me figuring out how to put it all together and write it. But, since I'm now using my free period to my advantage, i've been writing more. This chapter is kinda a filler, but I needed it in order to set up some drama that lays ahead in chapters 11 and 12. I PROMISE that you will all LOVE 11 when I get it posted( which will be some time next week since i have nothing to do for springbreak). although..maybe not lol. When I get 11 posted I'm gonna go back to focussing on Always Love, write three more chapters of that and come back to this story, so I'm sorry but a small hiatus is coiming up lol. Ok, I have rambled WAY too much. So without further ado the story.

Brooke was pulling her hair up into a quick ponytail when she heard a knock on the door. She was surprisingly nervous about Peyton coming over. She wasn't proud of her small 1 bedroom apartment that had a water stain that filled up a majority of the ceiling in her small kitchen and an unidentified stain on the carpet in the living room. Plus, it was in one of the worst parts of town, just a few blocks away from a strip club. It was _nothing_ to be proud of. She sighed, checking her reflection in the mirror before going to answer the door.

"Thank you so much Peyton." Brooke said, honestly grateful that Peyton had come through. Peyton walked inside with a shaky smile on her face, clutching her bag a little closer to her.

"Not a problem Brooke." Peyton said, finally releasing the hold she had on her purse.

Brooke smirked. "I thought you were the tough one Sawyer?"

Peyton rolled her eyes as she sat down her purse. "I am, I just didn't know I should've brought my gun." she laughed and Brooke shrugged as she shut the door, locking it as well.

"It's a bad place, but it's all I can afford. Come on, I'll show you where Henley's at." Peyton followed Brooke down the short hallway to Henley's room. Peyton was surprised when Brooke opened the door. She expected a... crappy looking room to match the rest of the apartment but it was far from crappy.

The walls were painted the perfect little girl pink, flowers and fairies painted all over the walls as well. The furniture was all white, including the small toddler bed that Henley was sleeping in, a small flower border painted on the head board. "Brooke this is beautiful."

"Thanks. I may not have much but I'm gonna give her everything I got." Brooke said as she smiled on at her sleeping daughter. "Ok, so I've got to go. I should be back around 2. If you could take her temperature every hour and write it down. If it's anything above 98 degrees give her some motrin and make sure the fan stays on her, it gets ridiculously hot in here and I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, you have Jenny after all." Brooke rambled with a bit of a laugh towards the end.

"She'll be fine Brooke. I promise I wont let her die." They left the room and walked back into the living room where Brooke put on her coat and grabbed her purse. "Where do ya work anyway?" Brooke knows that she is asking offhandedly but it made her uneasy and she tensed up only slightly. She thought she had recovered quickly enough but she obviously hadn't. "What was with the tensing up?"

"It was nothing." Brooke said with a fake smile plastered on her face. "I work at a club." '_Technically I'm not lying. I do work in a club... a strip club.'_ Brooke thought to herself.

"Like as a bartender?" Peyton asked.

Brooke shrugged. "Sometimes. The jobs get rotated."

"Then does your pay differ for every job you do?" '_When the hell did she start asking so many god damn questions?'_

"No, it depends on you specifically. If you do your job well you get paid high. If you don't you get paid low. Simple as that." Brooke made her way to the door and Peyton followed casually behind her.

"So what do you do when you don't bartened?" Peyton can tell she is trying to hide something but she figured it was probably just something about Lucas.

"Different things. Ok, I got to go. I'll call at 9 to check in." And with that Brooke quickly slipped out of the door. She let out a sigh of relief once she was in the hallway.

* * *

Rachel walked in to Centerfolds, scanning the club quickly to see if Brooke was waitresing or working the bar. She smirked to herself when she saw Brooke on stage, currently swinging around the center stage pole. Rachel walked over and sat down in front of the stage and threw a 5 at Brooke. Brooke finally saw Rachel and just raised an eyebrow at her while she finished up her routine. Rachel just laughed when Brooke was done and the lights went out and Brooke went off stage. Looking around the stage at all the hollering men, it was obvious that Brooke was clearly a favorite.

"Hey ho, what are you doing here?" Brooke asked as she came up to Rachel, now wearing her thin silk robe. "I thought the flight didn't get in till midnight?"

"We caught an earlier flight." Rachel said, the smirk still plastered on her face. "So, you really do put on a show don't you?" Rachel had stopped by the club a few times before but each time Brooke had been bartending or giving private lap dances. She never actually saw Brooke 'performing' and now that she saw it, Rachel found it absolutely hilarious.

"Shut up." Brooke said, playfully shoving Rachel.

"I'm serious. It's obvious all the guys love you Miss Perkins." Rachel said with yet another laugh and Brooke just rolled her eyes. "You know, you should get a playboy bunny tattooed above your ass of something considering your name and all."

"Enough!" Brooke semi shouted, walking over to the bar with Rachel. "I'm not getting another tattoo unless it's Henley's name. My chinese symbol will do just fine." Brooke glanced up at the big clock over the bar surround by neon lights. "I better call home."

"I thought you said your baby sitter was out of town? Who's watching my little crayon?" Since Rachel had never seen Henley with out at least one crayon, she'd taken to calling her that, her own special little nickname for the girl. It was amazing how much she actually liked the little girl considering she didn't really like children and they didn't really like her.

"Peyton's watching her." Brooke said casually as she made her way behind the bar. Rachel spit out her drink when she heard the name.

"Peyton? Since when are you talking to Peyton?"

"Right about the same time I started talking to Lucas." Brooke said looking down, focussing on opening her water bottle.

"I am gone for 2 fucking weeks. TWO weeks and now you're hanging out with Lucas and Peyton? What the hell! Do they know all your dirty little secrets too?"

"No! Well, Peyton knows about Henley but that's because I dropped a picture out the wedding of Henley and she figured it out. Lucas on the other hand, knows absolutely nothing, but I have to tell him soon or Peyton will." Broke was already dialing home when Rachel shot her an 'Unbelievable' look. "Hey Peyton. How's Henley?... Oh thank goodness. Is she awake?... No no no, don't wake her up. She needs to sleep it off. I'm going to try and get off work early, I don't want you to be there all night... Yeah okay. Bye Peyton."

"What's wrong with Henley?" Rachel asked once Brooke hung up the phone.

"Fever and stomach bug. I hate it when she's sick." Brooke said with a frown on her face.

Rachel nodded and took a sip of the drink that had just been placed in front of her. "So, what's this stuff with Lucas?"

Brooke sighed before telling Rachel everything that had happened the past week, including the fact that she still had feelings for Lucas, even though she knew that the confession would end up biting her in the ass.

"So he was all fatherly to Henley?" Rachel asked, referring to Brooke's little day with Lucas.

Brooke nodded up and down, a smile creeping on to her lips. "He was so great with her Rachel. When we went out to dinner, he carried her on his shoulders and was always talking to her. He'd make the greatest dad."

"And he could be if you just got the balls to tell him." Rachel smirked.

Brooke rolled her eyes and sighed once more. "I'll tell him in time."

"Well, since I've finally caught your show," Rachel began with a small laugh, "I'm gonna go. Maybe stop by your place to check on Henley and then back home. I'll see you later." With that, Rachel downed the rest of her drink and smiled at Brooke before walking out of the building.

* * *

Peyton sat on the couch, watching some 'Friends' rerun and eating some semi burnt popcorn that she found in Brooke's cabinet. She jumped a little when she heard someone knock on the door. She got up slowly and walked over to the door, grabbing a frying pan off the counter. It was 10 at night in a bad area of town and she wasn't going to take any chances. She looked through the peep hole and was surprised to see the familiar redhead on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" Peyton asked when she opened the door. The redhead walked into the apartment, brushing past the blonde.

"I'm here to check on Henley and relieve you of your duties." Rachel said as she disappeared into the hallway.

"Rachel!" Her small voice came out raspy like her mother's due to the soreness of her throat.

"Crayon! Momma told me you're sick. Poor baby." Rachel said, hugging the little girl. Peyton stood in the doorway, shocked by Rachel's actions. She was so nice to Henley, and Rachel didn't do nice. "I brought you presents."

Henley's blue eyes got bigger at the mention of presents and tried to sit up, but Rachel ushered her to stay down. "You have to lie down Henley, you're sick." She grabbed the bag she had placed on the ground and moved it so that it ws now resting in her lap. "I got you this HUGE thing of crayons, 2 new coloring books, a sketch pad, and this cut little stuffed monkey, and I got you 2 new outfits but I left those at home."

"Jeez Rachel. Spoil her much?" Peyton asked with a laugh. Rachel turned her head to roll her eyes at Peyton, only to turn back around and smile down at Henley.

"Thank you!" Henley said, gathering all her cheeriness to make the sentence to sound happy.

"You are very welcome Crayon. Now, I want you to stay in bed and color while I go talk to Peyton okay?" The little girl nodded, already taking her crayons out of the bag.

Rachel got off of the bed and walked out of the room, following Peyton who had already retreated back into the living room. "So you talked to Brooke?"

Rachel nodded. "Yeah. I just got back from her work. You should stop by and see her. I've got Henley for the rest of the night."

"I dunno, I mean she's working. Isn't that bad if friends just stop by?" Peyton asked, getting her jacket.

"It's fine. I know she'd love it if you stopped by." Rachel said sweetly. It may appear as if she was screwing over Brooke, but she wasn't. She was just helping her with telling everyone. "It's about 6 or so blocks down. Place with big neon lights. If you don't see it there is a strip club that can point you in the right direction."

Peyton got a puzzled look on her face but shrugged anyway. "Alright. Are you sure you're okay with Henley?"

"Of course! Now go. And then get home, it's bad to be in this area so late at night." Rachel said as she practically pushed Peyton out of the door.

* * *

Peyton wondered down the street, looking for any building with big neon lights but the only building she could see with big neon lights WAS the strip club. So, reluctantly, she walked into the club, hoping to be in and out quickly. She honestly didn't know what she's ask, Rachel hadn't given her very good direction. Not even the name of the place.

She stood near the door, the sound of music immediately filling her ears. She looked around the club, trying to find the bar and avert her eyes from all the near nakedness that was surrounding her. That is until she caught sight of a very familiar brunette giving a man in his late 40s' a lap dance. "There is no way in hell..." Peyton said to herself, narrowing her eyes at the brunette.

"Can I help you? You look lost." a half naked waitress asked her.

"Does Brooke D-" She didn't even finish her sentence when the redhead began nodding her head.

"She sure does. Only we don't call her that here." she said with a laugh, pointing over to where Brooke was getting off of the man. "Hey Perkins! You got someone here to see you!"

Brooke turned around with her fake smile plastered to her face, the fake smile she always wore, expecting to see Mouth or Rachel or some regular customer behind her. However, when she looked at the person next to Stacy, her smile dropped.

"You're a _stripper_?" Peyton exclaimed, marching towards Brooke with clenched fists.

"Peyton you have to listen to me." Brooke said, putting her hands up.

"The only job you could find was _stripping_?" Peyton yelled glaring at the girl in front of her.

"Gawd, you make us sound like whores." Stacy said angrily before walking away.

"I needed the money okay!" Brooke shouted, stopping her foot.

"Broke." The word came out more as a grunt and Brooke immediately stood up straight and placed her fake smile back on her face. "If you're gonna have a discussion do it in the back room."

"Sorry Jerry." Brooke said, making sure her boss could clearly see her fake smile. He looked Peyton up and down before shaking his head.

"This one isn't going to jump up on stage is she?"

Brooke let out a genuine laugh and shook her head. "No, only Rachel does that." He nodded, satisfied with the answer, and walked away. Brooke linked arms with Peyton and pulled her into one of the empty rooms.

"Does Mouth know she goes on stage?" Peyton asked. This whole situation was bizarre and she was secretly hoping hat maybe this was all some sort of dream.

"When I first moved here I got a job in a cafe but then I got fired when a kitchen fire started and then I was too far along to work and then when Henley was a few months I was going to get evicted if I didn't get a job soon and I really didn't want to dip into my college money because now that's strictly Henley's. So I reluctantly took this job." Brooke rambled, ignoring Peyton's question completely, while she paced around the room.

"I highly doubt this was the only job you could get Brooke."

"I tried Peyton, I really did. But nobody would hire me, mainly because of Henley. Or if I did get the job it didn't work out because of the hours or the pay. Here I can bring Henley and they're pretty lenient on that and the pay is good. I may live in a shitty apartment but I make enough to keep me afloat. I can pay rent and all that crap, I can buy clothes for me and my daughter, I can buy food, and I can give everything I can to my daughter." Brooke said quickly.

"But a _stripper_ Brooke? I mean god, you know how bad this is right?" Peyton asked, slumping down on the couch in the room.

"I do Peyton, but it was my choice to make. **I** chose this life and I'm happy with it... most of the time." Brooke said gently.

Peyton nodded reluctantly, still not being even remotely okay with this. But Broke was her won person who was allowed to make her own mistakes. She was an adult and was getting by on this job. " I'm guessing this was your 'baggage'?"

Brooke let a half smile creep on to her lips and shrugged her shoulders. "Pretty much."


	11. I'm in Love With a Stripper

"You stupid slut!" Brooke said as she opened her front door, surprising Rachel who was sitting on the couch.

"Excuse me?" Rachel asked innocently, barely looking away from the tv.

"You told Peyton!" Brooke said, almost yelling. She tried to remain calm though and to keep her voice down so she didn't wake Henley.

"Um, no I didn't tell Peyton. I said you worked in a place with lots of neon lights and if she couldn't find it then she could try the strip club for directions." Rachel said, trying to suppress a laugh.

"The only place with big neon lights is the strip club! God, are you going to call up Lucas and tell him about Henley now?" She was truly infuriated. She worked so hard to maintain her life, to keep her and her daughter happy and away from her old life. Yet here Rachel was, ruining the years of work in a few sentences.

"I wouldn't do that to you Brooke. Unless you want me to?" Rachel asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Brooke shook her head and closed her eyes before throwing her purse down on the couch. "Rachel can you just go. I've had a long bad day." Looks like she'd be visiting her pack of GPC lights again.

"Fine." Rachel said casually, gathering her things. "But you know it was for the best."

"No, it really wasn't." Brooke said and Rachel stopped right next to her. "I should've done it myself."

"But we both know that you would've never told her." Rachel said, her voice getting serious. Brooke unclenched her fists when she heard the door shut behind her and she let out a sigh of relief.

She walked to her daughters room, opening the door just enough so she could poke her head in. Henley was always light sleeper when she was sick, something she took from Lucas. Brooke ventured in a little more though, in hopes of removing the coloring book from the bed with out waking her daughter.

She had successfully removed the coloring book and was now going to go crash on the couch, deciding to skip her usual shower. She was about to lay down when she heard a knock on the door. She was tempted to just let whoever it was at the door go away, but if someone was knocking at 2:30 in the morning, it was obviously important.

So, she shlepped her way to the door and peered into the peep hole. She sighed and turned around, resting her back against the door as the knocking continued. She wasn't going to open the door. If she just let him knock for a while, he'd just go away. She couldn't believe Peyton though. Giving him her address. Who did she think she was?

After a few more minutes of knocking, he stopped and she thought he'd finally left. "Brooke, I know you're against the door." he said gently.

"Go away." Brooke said, cursing herself for leaving the light on.

"We need to talk. Please, just open the door Brooke." He knows she is stubborn as hell and he figured he'd be there all night. But, he'd be willing to stay there all because that's just how important she was to him.

He didn't expect to hear the lock click after only minutes of knocking. The door opened and Brooke appeared in the doorway looking tired and irritated.

"It's late Lucas. What do you want?" She sounded as irritated as she looked. She crossed her arms under her chest and began tapping her foot impatiently. Classic Brooke Davis stance when she was annoyed.

"You can't say it meant nothing." She pushed her eyebrows together, confused. She had told him this a few days prior. Why'd he feel the need to come to her at 2 in the morning and repeat it? "You and I both know it meant everything."

Her expression softened and she stood up straight, letting her arms fall down to her sides. "Luke."

"If it didn't mean anything then you wouldn't have kissed me. If it didn't mean anything then you wouldn't have spent the whole day with me. If it didn't mean anything you wouldn't have sat down on the bench in the park. If it didn't mean anything you wouldn't have danced with me at the wedding. It it didn't mean anything you wouldn't have written me eighty two letters that summer and I wouldn't have written you 82 letters. If it really _never_ meant anything to you, then look me straight in the eye and tell me that you regret ever dating me. That you regret ever knowing me."

He sounded so hurt and he looked some what beaten. She couldn't tell him it never meant anything at all because he meant everything to her. He gave her the only valuable thing she owned; Henley. He turned her into a different person for the better. He taught her how to love and because of that she also learned how to hurt. "Eighty one." She whispered, looking down to the floor, playing with the hem of her tank top.

Now it was his turn to look confused. "What?"

"I never got the eighty second letter." She said louder, still keeping her head down. "We broke up before I ever got it." She looked up at him now and for the first time in a long time, she looked really young. Brooke had always put up a front, acting and therefore appearing much older than she was. The only other time he had seen her look so young was when he had taken her to the doctor during the pregnancy scare. She seemed so much older than 23. But, the way she looked now, so open and unguarded, it really hit him how young she was.

"You probably never wrote it though." She looked up at him with big eyes and gave a small shrug, as if to say that it was okay that he never wrote it, like it didn't mean anything to her. Part of her did feel like that, at least a little part of her. He passed on her letters, they had meant so much to him but then in one night they meant nothing to him. Like everything she said never mattered and everything in his eighty one letters wasn't really meant for her, but for her blonde friend. "Everything you said in those letters, you said to Peyton. So your letters obviously didn't mean anything did they?"

Her anger was back, and he could tell that she found a piece of evidence to give her leverage. "If I meant anything to you, you would've fought harder. If I meant anything to you, you wouldn't have kissed _her_." The way she said 'her' made him take a step back, the word hitting him like a ton of bricks. "If I meant anything to you, you wouldn't have watched me leave!" With every sentence she walked towards him and he backed away every time. Now, he was outside her door once again. "So the next time you want to tell me I meant everything to you, call Peyton."

She slammed the door shut and locked it, angry at him and herself, but for entirely different reasons. She was mad at herself for yelling at him and most likely waking Henley and mad at him for everything else.

He stood on the other side of the door, flabbergasted at what just happened. He had slowly made his way in and then she just ripped everything he said to shreds. But she didn't say she regretted him. She simply questioned pretty much everything he said. He knew he was grasping at straws here but he wasn't going to let her walk away from them again.

* * *

"See?" Rachel said happily when she pranced through Brooke's door the next day. "At least I wasn't like Peyton and gave him your address." It was like proof that what Rachel had done wasn't so bad and Rachel was going to rub it in like there was no tomorrow.

"Rachel, can you please stop?" Brooke asked, not once looking at the red head who was now sitting on her couch. Instead, she kept her gaze out towards the city below, wishing Rachel would leave so she could light up. "It's easy to remember why I hated you when you get like this."

Rachel rolled her eyes as she turned on the tv. "I'm sorry okay?" It didn't come out like an apology at all but Brooke knew it was the best she was going to get. Brooke nodded and took another drink of her coffee, hoping it would keep her awake. She'd spent the bulk of the night analyzing every little thing she could about her and Lucas. They both spoke the truth last night which is what scared her.

He was her world and she wasn't his. She never was. She was simply someone to keep him busy until Peyton came around. Yes, it didn't work out between them but she couldn't help but think it wasn't because he didn't love her, but because he wanted what he couldn't have. He couldn't have Peyton so he settled for her. When Peyton came back around he went to her, ditching Brooke until he realized that he wanted Brooke back. While they were together he wanted Peyton. Of course he would want her while he was with Peyton.

She laughed ironically to herself. He didn't love her. He was infatuated with her. He loved the idea of her. She hadn't seen him in 5 years and she was back to the point where she was a complete mystery to him. He knew nothing about her now, only knew of her past and her ideas on how she thought the future would be.

* * *

Lucas laid on his couch, watching his tv with bloodshot eyes. He'd spent the whole night watching 'Northern Exposure', trying to forget about everything that Brooke had said. But, since he was trying to forget it all, it played in loops inside his head. Peyton had left a half an hour ago after bringing him some food and talking to him briefly about what had gone down with Brooke. She then asked him if he loved Brooke and of course, he yelled at her for even questioning him.

"You can yell at me for asking Lucas but you didn't answer my question. I may not be best friends with Brooke anymore but I still care about her. She doesn't need you confessing your love for her and then 6 months later you turn around and kiss someone else." Peyton spat before she slammed his door shut.

He of course, had already decided that she was wrong. He loved Brooke and only Brooke. He was sure of it. "_Sometimes when you look back on a situation, you realize it wasn't all you thought it was. A beautiful girl walked into your life. You fell in love. Or did you? Maybe it was only a childish infatuation, or maybe just a brief moment of vanity._" Lucas stared at the tv for a moment before turning it off, disgusted. He didn't need Peyton and his television telling him that maybe he wasn't as confident in his love for Brooke as he thought.

He rolled over, now facing the dark gray material of his couch. At least that wouldn't taunt him. He was supposed to have a meeting today but he already knew he wasn't going to go. This thing with Brooke had really shaken him up. He just needed a way to figure out how to prove to her that she was it for him. That despite all the crappy things he did to her, he really did love her.

Then, he laughed ironically to himself, Brooke's words finally _really_ sinking in. If he really loved her as much as he said he did, then they wouldn't be in this situation. They'd be happily married by now, Henley would be his daughter, and they'd be expecting a boy. But they weren't, instead they were fighting, no where even close to a relationship. And it was all his fault.

* * *

"Feeling any better baby girl?" Brooke asked sweetly, feeling her daughter's forehead. Henley nodded with a smile on her face. "You feel cool. Does your tummy feel better?" Once again, Henley nodded her head and Brooke finally allowed herself to smile.

"Can I get out of bed now Momma?" Henley asked, already throwing off her blanket. After being bed ridden for a day and a half, she had started to go a little bit crazy.

"'Course you can baby." Brooke said, resulting in Henley jumping out of bed.

"Yay!" Henley exclaimed as she ran out of the room.

Brooke laughed and shook her head. "Crazy girl." Brooke made Henley's bed quickly before she went back into the living room to see Henley sitting on the couch and flipping through tv stations. Peyton sat next to her, flipping through the scrapbook that Brooke always left on the coffee table.

"I didn't give him your address. I swear." Peyton said, studying the pictures on the first page very carefully. She wondered what it was like to go through the delivery alone. '_It must've been so hard on Brooke.' _"He got the address out of purse when I went to the bathroom." She looked up at Brooke, hoping she believed the truth.

Brooke simply nodded before taking a seat at the dining table, half of her facing towards Peyton, the other half facing the mail that she was trying to avoid opening. She was doing that a lot lately. Nodding. Like she didn't have anything to say regarding the situation at hand. She just nodded to Rachel's half hearted apology, she just nodded at Peyton's truth. She didn't have anything to say to them though, she only had things to say to _him_.

Peyton flipped through some more pages, her eyes stopping on one picture in particular. Henley couldn't have been more than a few weeks old and she was wrapped in a pink blanket that looked oddly familiar. "Brooke, where'd you get that blanket?" Brooke lifted her head from her hand to look over at Peyton with a questioning look. Peyton got off the couch and walked over to Brooke, pointing at the picture she was talking about.

"Oh, that was a gift." Brooke said nonchalantly. She went back to the mail in her hand but stopped once more when Peyton didn't move. "What?"

Peyton brought the book closer up to her face, as if that would somehow expose the whole blanket and tell her where she'd seen it before. "Do you still have it?"

Brooke nodded, tossing the mail back on the table. "I keep all of Henley's stuff. I'm a pack rat you know that."

"Is it in her room?" Brooke nodded, once again, unsure of where Peyton was going with this. She had gotten too damn nosy over these past couple of years.

"Do you want to see it?" Brooke offered lamely and Peyton ignored it, instead, focussing on the picture. She was biting her bottom lip and opening her eyes wider, obviously close to figuring out where she'd seen the blanket before. "Peyton?"

"KAREN!" Peyton screamed, causing both Brooke and Henley to jump. "Karen made that blanket! I specifically remember going to Karen's for Thanksgiving and she was sewing that blanket at the dining room table while she was waiting for the turkey to finish!" Peyton hadn't realized the significance of it being Karen's blanket quite yet. She was just happy she knew where she'd seen the blanket before.

Brooke nodded hesitantly up and down. Peyton was starting to scare her a little bit. "Okay...?"

Then, realization hit her. She looked up from the book and at Brooke. "Karen?" She was confused and curious and Brooke didn't know what to say. It seemed pointless to lie.

"Karen sent it to me a few weeks before Henley was born." Brooke said slowly.

"She knows?" Peyton asked, almost chocking on her words.

"About my daughter yes. About Henley and her father, no." Brooke said, lowering her voice so Henley couldn't hear her.

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked, taking a seat in the chair next to Brooke.

"She was the only reference I could put on my application for the cafe I worked at. They called her and she gave me a good recommendation and ended up calling back one day to see if I got the job. We talked for a little bit, then I said I had to go or else I'd be late for my doctor's appointment. She asked if I was sick and I laughed and said no I was pregnant. She said congrats, I said please don't tell anyone that we talked and she said she wouldn't and she obviously never did. I got the package four days after Thanksgiving." Brooke said, letting a small smile play on her lips. "So when Henley was born I sent her a picture of Henley, you know the ones they take at the hospital, and one of me with her. I put her stats in the card but just left it as Baby Davis and said thanks for the blanket."

"And she didn't think she was Lucas'?"

"Why would she? She had no reason to think the baby was his. Yeah Henley was born with blonde hair and blue eyes but that's common." Brooke said, shrugging her shoulders.

"She was born with blonde hair?' Peyton asked, glancing at the small brunette on the couch.

Brooke laughed. "Yeah, crazy huh? When she was about 4 months all her hair fell out. I **freaked** out. But, the doctor said it was normal and a week later it was growing back in brown."

* * *

Yet another night of random lap dances, usually with older men who were still in their suits, having just got off of work. Yet another night of wearing the fake seductive smile that she had become so accustomed to wearing. Yet another night of asking herself if she was worth being treated like this. Yet another night of depression.

Brooke sighed to herself as she slipped into her barely there thong. Another night where she got naked for money. It was usually times like these where she contemplated quitting. But then the thought of her little daughter came to mind and knew that she couldn't.

She felt trapped by this life, the life she chose for herself. She knew back then just as she knows now that her life could've been different. That was always the big 'What If' in her mind. What if she hadn't kept Henley? What if she hadn't left Tree Hill? What if she never slept with Lucas? What if she never let anyone in?

But she knows that for him, it was what was best. She loved him too god damn much to let him ruin his life. Back then, she wasn't something special to him, she was just _there_. He had kissed her that night because he got swept up in some... moment they were having. He slept with her that night because that was how he'd always seen her: someone to do. That's what they were when they first started dating and even though he wouldn't admit it, that's probably all she was the second time they started dating as well. Hell, she probably wasn't something special to him now.

There never was an emotional connection between them and there never would be. Just something physical. That very thought killed her inside. She had always opened up so freely (most of the time anyway) to him and he could never fully let her in the same way. Not like how he opened up with Peyton. It sucked knowing that the person you loved could never really trust you with the weight of their world. That instead of choosing them, they chose someone else, someone who just happened to be her best friend.

Despite all of that, she still loved him so much more than she should. She protected him from the pain that he never protected her from. She did what someone does for the person they love. She wondered what that was like. Her only real relationship was with Lucas, not even considering her mostly off relationship with Chase a relationship. But Lucas never did that for her. Instead, he did that for Peyton.

"You've got a private customer Brooke." Jerry grunted from the door way, poking his head into the room.

"5 minutes." She said, holding up her hand as if Jerry was too stupid to understand the words that had come out of her mouth. He left her without a response, something she was accustomed to. Jerry didn't usually respond to you unless a specific question was asked.

He came back in only a few minutes later, telling her that the customer requested what she wear, something that was slightly uncommon, but he was paying extra, so Jerry obliged. Brooke let out a frustrated breath, tearing off the 'clothes' she had just put on.

She put on the outfit that she usually wore when she worked the bar. Something that actually belonged to her: the outfit she wore during the 'Naley' reenactment. She put the corset on like a jacket since the hooks were in front and she let herself smile a little. She was happy that she could still fit into something from high school post baby. That was the only time she ever really smiled in that place. She slipped her garter belt over her itty bitty thong before reaching for her thigh high stockings.

Once she strapped on her cage style stilettos that just screamed 'STRIPPER', she surveyed her appearance, giving herself a once over. Despite having done this for 4 years, she always felt nervous before going out. It wasn't like cheerleading where she enjoyed being the one that everyone had their eyes on, knowing that half the guys were trying to picture her naked. Now, she was naked, and she didn't take any pleasure in the fact that she knew, all eyes were on her. Now, it made her feel dirty and disgusting.

"He's waiting." Jerry mumbled as she passed him on her way to the private room. "Usual song?"

"Doesn't matter." she tossed over her shoulder, taking one last deep breath before opening the door, making sure that her fake smile was glued to her face. She opened her mouth to talk but was rendered speechless by the man who was sitting in front of her.

He laughed, disgusted that what he had been told was actually true. "It's true." he stated, sounding angry and appalled. He slapped his hands down on his thighs before shaking his head. "Well, now I've seen everything."

She did the only thing she could do, which was look down and play with the pink satin ribbon that hung off of her corset. "_This _is what you've done in the past 5 years? Well, aren't you just the most successful one out of our little bunch?" The words seemed to have been soaked in venom, each one coming out more hurtful than the last.

She felt the tears pushing against her now closed eyes, begging to spill. "I thought you were better than this. But no, you just had to go and prove me wrong and become the _slut_ that everyone thought you were."

"I'm not a slut." She said quietly, lifting her head up to look into the blue eyes that she had always loved. Only now, she didn't see what she saw in them. She usually saw love and hope and everything to make her feel like life really was perfect. But now, the only thing the eyes held was anger and disgust, not a glimmer of the safety they once used to give her.

"Is this why you were pushing me away?" He tried to keep his voice low, but it didn't work, instead his voice rose, causing Brooke to jump a little. "Because you're a cheap _whore_?"

She's never seen him like this, not quite. The only time that even comes close to this is when he had found her in bed with Chris Keller. But even then he wasn't this angry, wasn't this disappointed. "I'm not a whore!" Her voice came out weak and raspy and it killed a part of him inside. He promised he'd never hurt her but it seemed like that's all he did.

She looked over at him with glazed eyes, watching him rub the back of his neck. He always did that when he was mad. He threw his hands up in the air and settled back in the couch. He didn't say a word, he just looked at her while she pushed back her tears. He raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"I wasn't pushing you away because of _this_. Not ness-" He cut her off with another snide laugh. She looked over at him confused. SHe thought he wanted an answer.

"I'm paying for you aren't I? Hell, I'm paying _extra_." he said and it took her a minute to understand what he meant. He didn't want her to talk, instead he wanted her to do what he was paying her to to, To dance and take off her clothes, just like he was any other scum bag that came into that place.

She didn't want to believe that he would make her do that. That wasn't the Lucas Scott she knew, but maybe she didn't know him anymore, maybe she never knew him at all. "Luke..." fell like a plea from her pretty lips.

He shook his head once more. "This is what you do Brooke. It shouldn't matter who I am. I didn't pay to talk to you." he said coldly and she felt her tears rising back up.

"What do you want?" she asked softly.

"I want your specialty." Had the situation not been like _that_ she would have made a joke. She nodded and covered her eyes with her hands for a moment to try and regain composure. When she was done, she walked over to Lucas, swaying her hips seductively with the song that had been playing during their little 'chat'. Again, she would've laughed at how ironic it was that Jerry had decided to play _that_ song.

She stood in front of him, unhooking the first few hooks on her corset, still dancing with the music. She leaned forward, wrapping her arm around his neck softly, rubbing her thumb over the place she knew he always liked. She noticed that he was fighting with everything he had in him not to enjoy it, to not close his cold eyes. He wanted to stare her down with his glare.

Brooke let herself smirk slightly because she knew she was just too good at her job. She could make any man crumble and Lucas had a disadvantage because she knew what would drive him crazy and make his breath shallow. She turned around and popped out her ass as she bent down, running her hands up her legs and up her ass, looking seductively over her shoulder to see Lucas hard...er, strong, front start to waver.

She stood back up straight only to sway down into a crouching position, running her hands up and down the top of his thighs. Once she got to his knees, she spread his legs, allowing her to run her hands down the length of his body. She started working her way back up, running her hands up his legs once more. She then knelt over him, her legs on either side of him so that in a way she was straddling him. She ran her hands up and down his chest before moving them to her, unhooking more hooks on her corset.

She stood up straight, leaning over so that her chest was in his face and ran her hands through his hair before grabbing a hold of his tie and leaning backwards. He looked down, not being able to stop himself, to find that her garter belt had ridden up, revealing the small chinese symbol that had laid on her pelvis for as long as he had known her. For as long as he could remember, he was the only guy who really knew that was there. Yes, Brooke had slept with other guys, but none of them knew that tattoo like he did. They couldn't outline it with perfection, they couldn't recreate it on a piece of paper using their memory. But now, now everyone in New York might as well have seen that tattoo and the comfort he used to get from seeing that was now gone.

She sat back up, letting go of his tie and getting off of him, her smile faltering a little. His cold eyes were back and he wasn't trying to touch her. She swayed her hips from side to side, running her hands down her chest, unhooking the rest of the hooks in the process. She turned around then, looking at him over her shoulder as she slipped out of the corset, her fake smile no where to be found on her face. She threw the corset across the room and covered her chest with her arms before turning back around to look at him. She tried to force the smile to come back on her lips but it wouldn't. So instead of trying to get it back on her face, she fought to keep the sad smile off of her face.

She sat down on his lap, her arms now around his neck and he didn't take his eyes off her face. It scared her, that he wouldn't look at any other part of her body because he used to love looking at her body. He used to run his hands down her curves, finding every imperfection on her body, every mark, every mole, everything that nobody else knew about. That's when a new thought entered her head; he didn't love her anymore.

She stopped moving on his lap, and stared at him, looking into his eyes to see a small reflection of the girl she had become in his eyes. This wasn't who she wanted to be. She didn't look like her anymore, she looked like a cheap slut with too much make up on and not enough clothes on. Her hair hung down past her shoulders in messy curls, dirty and slightly greasy, and suddenly she couldn't take it anymore.

"I can't do this." She mumbled before pushing herself off his lap. She walked over to her corset and grabbed it, putting it on immediately.

"What do you mean you can't do this? This is your job!" His words still come out hurtful and angry. "So you can do it for any other man, but not me? Why the fuck is that?"

"Because they don't know me!" Brooke shouted, tears starting to spill down her cheeks as she tried to hook her corset.

"Oh yes, because that is _so_ much better than someone you know watching you take your clothes off!" He spat, coming up to her.

"Lucas, please stop." she said, giving up on trying to close her corset. Her hands were shaking to much for her to get a good grasp.

"How could you take a job like this? How could you _do_ this?" He had taken a hold of her arms and had backed her up against the door. She looked down, trying to look at everything but him. Her tears had slowed and she was trying to let out slow steady breaths to try and stay calm. "_Why_ are you doing this?" He pressed her to answer, not being able to stand her just standing there, crying and refusing to look at him.

"You think I want to do this?" She said in a low cold voice that surprised him. "Yeah I chose to do this but do you really think I like doing this?" He dropped her arms now, letting go of her and taking a step back. "I _hate_ myself for doing this Lucas!" She already knew it was going to slip but she couldn't stop. "I'm doing this to support _your_ daughter!"

DUN DUN DUH! lol Ok, well first off, thanks SO much for the reviews! They make my day, they really do! Secondly, I just have to say that this chapter has been kicking my ass. I've been workign on it since Friday and I could never get the last scene right but today I did. I could see it perfectly in my head and I'm pretty dead on with with what I wrote and I could not be happier about that. And lastly, I have to remind you guys that you're going to have a week to two week hiatus with this story! I'm gonna get three chapters done for Always Love before I come back to this one. But those chapters are relatively short and that story is nothing but angst so i can write it with the snap of my fingers lol. Hope y'all enjoyed and please review! OH! And the song that is being played while Brooke is dancing is the song in which the chapter is named!


	12. Let It Out

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry this took so long! It's been done for a bit now, I've just been waiting on my betathanks to Miranda for beta-ing!. I also what to thank all of you for the reviews and I'm sorry for leaving you with such a cliffhanger so hopefully this chapter doesn't dissapoint. In brighter news, I have the next chapter almost completely done so that'll be up VERY soon. Hope y'all enjoy!

She shut her mouth immediately, her hand going up to cover it. She'd said it. She had told Lucas and she couldn't take it back. '_Fuck,'_ was the only word that was in her head.

"What?" Lucas asked, confused, like he didn't quite understand what she had told him. She shook her head keeping her back against the wall, afraid that if she moved she'd fall to the ground.

"Nothing. I didn't say anything," she mumbled and he walked back up to her.

"When's Henley's birthday?"

"December 12th. She was almost a month early," Brooke said, keeping her head down once more.

He was silent and Brooke didn't need to look at him to know that he was brooding, calculating dates in his head. "Prom night?"

She looked up at him timidly, his blue eyes finding her green ones. She noticed that he had cut his hair, the length was perfect, the way she always liked it. Long enough for her to run her fingers through it, but short enough so that he didn't look like crap. She nodded and for a split second she thought he looked relieved. He nodded, running his hand through his hair and walking back to the couch.

"Five. She'll be five in a few months," Lucas muttered to himself. Brooke nodded, unsure of how to react to this. She expected him to be angry, to scream and shout not to be all calm and 'collected'.

Brooke walked slowly over to the couch and sat down at the other end, bringing her legs underneath her. "She's just like you Luke. It's scary sometimes how alike you are."

He looked over at her and nodded again. "Why didn't you just tell me Brooke? Did you think that I wouldn't help you?" He sounds kind of lost and a bit of her dies from hearing him sound like that.

"I know you would've, that's exactly why I didn't tell you. You had college, your mother, sister and Peyton. You had everything going for you. You didn't need me there to hold you back with a baby. Your life was planned out except for me. I was just a small glitch and I wouldn't let that turn into something that ruined your life," she said gently. He looked at her now, something she is thankful for. She offered him a small smile and he turned his gaze away from her again. She didn't understand why, but then he kind of laughed to himself and covered his eyes.

"As much as I love your chest Brooke, you have to put them away or else I can't finish this conversation." He glanced over at her one more time, noticing the confused then shocked and then horrified looks on Brooke's face as she tried to hook her corset up quickly. He looked away after a second or two, shaking his head and trying to hide the smile on his face. Brooke had kept his daughter from him for 5 years and he couldn't just let that go. He should be angry, not smiling because he got a peek at Brooke.

"Sorry," she said bashfully, something that always amazed him. It was still hard for him to believe that Brooke could be embarrassed sometimes. "Ok, they're in. You can look again." She put her hand on his shoulder gently and suddenly she was right next to him. She looked almost childlike again with her small smile, her dimples just barely showing and her cheeks still a little red from embarrassment.

She settled back in the couch resting her weight on her legs, trying to keep a safe distance between them. "Are you mad?" she asked softly and he turned to look at her once more. "It's okay if you're mad, I completely understand."

He shrugged. "I'm not really sure. You should have told me though Brooke. I can't get those years back, ya know? But I don't want to yell at you. I already feel bad about earlier tonight and I just..." he trailed off, searching for the words that simply weren't coming to him. "I'm just trying to take it all in."

"It's okay if you want to yell Luke. I deserve it. I shouldn't have kept her from you," Brooke said, shaking her own head. "I just did what I thought was best."

"Why not tell me sometime after she was born though Brooke? We've been out of college for almost a year. Why not then? We've been in contact for a few weeks now and you didn't mention anything," Lucas said, a little bit of anger bubbling inside of him. "I could've helped you Brooke. I could help you find work and get you out of the apartment. God Brooke, I could've gone to college in New York!"

"That's not what I wanted for you," Brooke said calmly and he stood back up.

"What about what _**I**_ wanted Brooke? Maybe I wanted to live with you and raise our daughter together! I should have made the choice myself!"

"You have no idea what this life is like Lucas! To move to a town where you know no one, when you don't have a single fucking person that cares and you find yourself needing to care for someone else when you can't even take care of yourself!" Weakness never suited Brooke well and she wasn't about to sit back and let him yell at her for trying to help him. "I chose this life, to live this way for YOU! I wanted you to have more than what I'd become so I stayed away! I let you be happy with Peyton in college while I was here working for less than minimum wage and just trying to keep all my hair back when I threw up! You do not deserve this life and that is why I didn't tell you. Because I don't want this for you and I know that you don't want this life."

"How can you just make up my mind for me Brooke?" Lucas asked and Brooke stood up in front of him.

"Do you really want to know why I didn't tell you Lucas? Other than wanting you to have a better life? Do you want to know?" she challenged him. He stood in front of her, the look on his face conveying an obvious 'Duh'. "When I'm in your arms, I feel so safe like there is nothing that can hurt me and that everything will be fine for forever. But I can't get to a place like that because I can't be in your arms all the time and that's when I get hurt. You hurt me all the damn time. You are the one who takes me to this safe place only to leave me hurt. You date Peyton in front of me and ignore me for the second half of our senior year and I couldn't risk that again! I couldn't risk you getting bored of playing house with me and going back to her! I will not go through that pain again and I **never** want **my** daughter to go through that pain!"

He looked at her, shocked by the words that had come out of her mouth. She had tears in her eyes again and she quickly turned her head away from him when the first tear began to fall. "I'm sorry," he said helplessly.

She laughed and wiped away her tears. "I don't need your apology Lucas." She didn't look at him as she left the room, holding her head up high and plastering the fake smile on her face.

* * *

"You're home kinda late," Peyton said, getting up from her position on the couch as Brooke walked through the front door.

"How could you?" Brooke asked plainly, getting straight to the point.

"Excuse me?" Peyton asked, pushing her eyebrows together in confusion.

"How could you act like we're kinda friends again and then tell Lucas where I work?" Brooke questioned, throwing her purse on to her dining room table.

"Lucas knows where you work?"

"Don't play stupid Peyton! He showed up tonight and now he knows everything. Are you happy? Was this your plan all along? To fuck me over once more?"

"Brooke, I swear, I don't know what you're talking about," Peyton said in all honesty.

"Just get out Peyton."

"You have to believe me. I'm not trying to screw you over! You can ask Lucas himself if you don't believe me. I haven't talked to him about you at all."

"Leave please," Brooke said, quickly losing the small remainder of patience that she had.

Peyton shook her head, muttering an 'Unbelievable' under her breath as she gathered up all her stuff. "Believe what you want, but you're not going to be able to blame me for the shit that goes on between you and Lucas forever." She slammed the door behind her and Brooke fought to keep back the new batch of tears that were coming.

How the hell had her life come to this? She was born into a wealthy family with high social status. She was the Queen of Tree Hill High, student council president and head cheerleader. She was supposed to be a famous fashion designer or at least marry some wealthy man. Her life was supposed to be wonderful.

Instead she lives in a one bedroom apartment in one of the worst parts of New York City with her daughter who doesn't know her father while trying to support them by working at a strip club. Oh and she is pretty much friendless and everyone from her of life probably hates her now. It kind of reminded her of Jimmy Edwards. She wasn't fat but by the time she was 21 she was lonely and she still is. Maybe she had reached her peak, maybe this was all that was left for her.

"Momma?" Henley whispered from the hallway. Brooke looked over at her disheveled daughter. Her brown curls were everywhere, her pajamas wrinkled and it was obvious in her eyes that she had just woken up. Her voice sounded sleepy and a little scared and she was holding onto the blanket that Karen had made for her. Henley walked over to her mother slowly, wrapping her arms around Brooke's leg once she reached her. "Are you okay?"

Brooke smiled down at her daughter and ran her hand through the mass of curls atop Henley's head. "I'm fine baby." Brooke crouched down to the small brunette's level and gave her a quick kiss. "Did I wake you up?"

Henley nodded slowly, using her small hands to wipe away the tears on her mother's cheeks. "Don't cry Momma." Brooke smiled a little bigger and hugged her daughter. "I love you."

"I love you too." Brooke said, rubbing her daughter's back.

"Will you sleep with me tonight Momma?" Henley asked. Brooke answered her by picking her up and carrying her daughter into the small bedroom.

* * *

"Did you know that Brooke worked in a strip club?" Lucas and Peyton were in a cab on the way to the airport and the ride had been pretty much silent up until that moment. "Brooke Davis is a stripper." He laughed almost ironically and shook his head as Peyton shifted uncomfortably next to him.

"That sure is something," Peyton mumbled, keeping her gaze out the window.

"There is something else I should tell you," Lucas said seriously, turning himself towards Peyton.

"What?" Peyton asked, almost irritated that she had to turn and look at him instead of the scenery running past the window.

"I'm... Well, Henley is..." He was having a hard time saying it. Saying Brooke was a stripper was easy but to say that he had a daughter with her was a bit harder to roll off the tongue.

Before he could attempt another sentence, Peyton cut him off, "I already know Lucas." He looked at her confused, an expression he'd been wearing a lot in the past 24 hours. "I already knew about Henley. I've known since the wedding. I just found out about 'Bunny Perkins' yesterday." She turned her gaze back to the outside world, not wanting to look at Lucas's either pained or angry face.

"You've known since the wedding?" Lucas stammered out. "You've known this whole time and didn't tell me?"

She turned back to him, throwing her hands up at his stupidity. "Why should I have told you!" She shook her head and covered her eyes with her hands before looking back at him once more. "She's not my daughter Luke. Brooke should've told you, not me. I told her that if she didn't tell you soon though that I'd tell you, but I was really hoping it wouldn't have to come to that."

"You're supposed to be my friend Peyton!" Lucas yelled as the cab pulled up to the airport.

"I'm also really trying with Brooke. I've known her longer than you and best friends don't tell ex boyfriends about their daughters," Peyton said, stepping out of the cab. "So do not call me a bad friend. Instead of yelling at me why don't you go talk to Brooke **calmly** this time? Because you are acting like such a jackass I wouldn't be shocked if she didn't want you to see Henley."

Lucas sat there, dumbfounded by what Peyton had said.

"You gettin' out?" the cab driver asked and Lucas shook his head. "Where to?"

"Um... Central Park please," Lucas said and the cab driver nodded and started making his way through the airport traffic.

"Sounds like you got the lady mad," the cab driver said, glancing back at Lucas in the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, that seems to be a pattern for me right now."

"She your girlfriend?"

Lucas laughed a little to himself. "No. Not anymore. That has been over for a while. She can still make me feel guilty as hell even though I should be mad."

"Did she mention Bunny Perkins earlier?" the cab driver asked wearily and Lucas nodded slowly. "Pretty girl." Lucas clenched his fists when the cab driver said this. He shouldn't be allowed to call her pretty girl. The fact that he was saying it made him want to vomit. "Definitely knows how to treat a guy, ya know?" Lucas clenched his jaw, looking outside the window. "Ya ever been to her?"

"I used to date her and she's also the mother of my child so, yes I know her," Lucas said and the cab driver focused his eyes back on to the road.

"Her daughter's sweet. Very chatty though. I'm guessin' she didn't get that from you eh?"

This was getting way too awkward and Lucas felt the urge to punch someone, most likely the cab driver. "You can let me off here." He shoved the money at the driver before rushing out of the back of the cab, barely remembering to grab his jacket.

This was way to weird for him and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Why the hell had he gone to Mouth's last night?

"_Hey man, just thought I'd stop by and tell you that my book is finally getting published," Lucas said as Mouth led him into his kitchen._

"_Wow! Man, that's awesome!" Mouth said as Lucas waved to Rachel who was cooking away at the stove. "Are you staying for dinner?"_

"_It's 8 o'clock. You guys are just eating now?" Lucas asked with a laugh and Rachel shook her head._

"_We got held up in the bedroom. Unlike you, we still get some," Rachel replied with a smirk. "How long has it been now Lucas? 5, 6 months?"_

"_Thank you for reminding me why I never come over here anymore," Lucas responded as Mouth left the room momentarily._

"_So, have you talked to Brooke yet?" Rachel asked casually._

"_You mean since this morning?" Rachel nodded. "Nope. Kinda awkward to talk to the girl you're madly in love with when she pretty much said it's a bunch of shit."_

"_When have you ever accepted that? You always fight for her Lucas. True, you never keep her, but you always fight for her. You should go visit her at work, talk everything out."_

"_She works nights?" Lucas asked, popping a grape into his mouth as Rachel turned off the burner._

"_Strippers aren't in high demand in the middle of the day." Rachel said with a laugh as she poured the sauce into a bowl._

_Lucas started coughing vigorously, chocking on the grape that he had been trying to swallow. "Excuse me?" Lucas questioned with a raised voice._

"_Didn't she tell you? She works at this strip club called Centerfolds. She's quiet popular there," Rachel tossed over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her face._

"_That's a bunch of crap," Lucas said, leaning back in the bar stool._

"_Don't believe me? Go see for yourself. Just be sure you ask for Bunny Perkins." She looked over her shoulder to see him shake his head and get up from the stool. "I dare ya to prove me wrong."_

"_Thanks Rachel," Lucas shouted as he walked out of the kitchen, mumbling under his breath, "you conniving whore."_

_Mouth came out from the bathroom and looked at Lucas confused. "I'm gonna head out man. Leave you with your crazy wife." Mouth smiled gingerly and nodded. Not many people liked to stick around for too long when Rachel was around._

"_Congrats again," Mouth said as Lucas walked out of the apartment._


	13. Come What May

Hey all! Thank you oh so much for the reviews! The next chapter is done and should be up within the week. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter but I hope y'all enjoy it.

There was a knock on her door at exactly 5:00pm. He'd always come at this time, knocking three times and then waiting for her to answer the door. It was a routine that they had let themselves fall into in the past 3 months. "Hey Lucas," she said coolly, letting him into the small apartment.

He smiled back at her, none of his teeth showing and his eyes immediately fell upon the small brunette who was sitting on the couch coloring in one of the many coloring books she had. "Lucas!" Henley shouted, pushing her coloring book aside and jumping off of the couch, running into his open arms. This happened everyday, yet she was still always shocked to see him.

"Hey there Pretty Girl," Lucas said, setting the girl back down.

"Are we gonna go get ice cream?" Henley asked with hopeful eyes.

Brooke cleared her throat behind them and Lucas looked back. She gave him a slight nod, the sign that he'd been waiting for. Tonight would be the night. "Baby, we have to tell you something first." Henley nodded and looked up at her mother, impatiently tapping her foot. "Do you remember how I told you that even though your Dad loved you, he couldn't see us?" Henley nodded again, her foot now still. "Well, your Dad is back now and he really wants you to meet him."

"Okay." Henley said slowly, trying to grasp what her mother was saying.

"Baby," Brooke started, getting down to eye level with her daughter and turning her around to look at Lucas, "Lucas is your dad."

Henley got a confused look on her face, looking between Lucas and Brooke who were both staring at her intently. "Really?" she finally managed to get out. Brooke and Lucas nodded at her, giving her small smiles to try and comfort her.

"Are you okay with this?" Brooke asked and Henley nodded.

"I was kinda wishing that he could be my daddy," Henley whispered shyly into Brooke's ear.

Brooke's smile got wider, her dimples showing now. "Well then baby, you've got your wish." She hugged Henley quickly before standing back up. "Now go give your dad a hug and then you can go get some ice cream."

* * *

They returned about an hour later, finding Brooke cooking at the stove. "Momma!" Henley shouted, running up to her mother and hugging her.

"Hey baby." She dropped a kiss on her daughter's forehead and went back to stirring the sauce that she was making. "Did you have fun?" She looked down at the curly haired girl who nodded before running into her room. "Hey Luke. You want to stay for dinner?"

During the past few months they hadn't had much contact. He'd get Henley and they'd hang out, but it was never him and Brooke or them and Henley. He had apologized for yelling and calling her a whore and a slut to which she simply said, 'It's okay'. They didn't talk about her job, although she would ask him to watch her from time to time. Hell, they didn't even talk about that night anymore. He had acted in a way that disgusted him and they'd both said things that they didn't mean or just thought it was best to ignore. So, that's what they did. They ignored everything that happened that night. "Sure," he replied, taking off his coat and setting it on the table. "What are you making?"

"Meatballs," Brooke said as Lucas came up behind her and looked over her shoulder.

"Just meatballs? Not spaghetti and meatballs?" She looked at him as if he were crazy and shook her head no.

"Meatballs in sauce are just as good as spaghetti and meatballs," Brooke said matter-of-factly and Lucas let it go, going into the fridge looking around.

"So, I've been meaning to talk to you about something. Well, two things actually," Lucas said, taking out a bag of lettuce and some carrots. He heard Brooke mumble a, 'Mmhm' and took that as his cue to continue. "Okay, so I've been thinking about this whole situation. How everyday I come over and spend time with Henley, but then leave. So, I think it would be better if maybe we lived together." He knew he sounded nervous about bringing it up. He tripped over his words in fear of Brooke's wrath.

She turned around quickly to look at him, already shaking her head. "She is my daughter Lucas! I want you to be in her life, I do, but you can't just up root her. I've never spent a day away from her and switching something so quickly can screw her up. No," Brooke said quickly, placing her hand on her hip. She wasn't going to let him take her daughter away from her.

He let out a breath and put his hand up. "That's not what I'm saying Brooke. I would never dream of taking Henley from you. I know that she is your life and she couldn't survive without you," Lucas said calmly and Brooke nodded her head. "This apartment is too small for you Brooke. You sleep on the couch for god's sake. I have plenty of room for the both of you at my apartment." He exhaled once more before saying the sentence that put it bluntly. "I want you and Henley to move in with me."

Her features softened as she let her hand drop to her side. "I don't know if that's such a good idea Lucas. I don't want you to feel like you have to do this. I can support us myself without you helping."

"I want to help Brooke. Plus I'm not trying to put it like that. I think it'd just be better that way." He put his hand on her shoulder and gave is a small squeeze. "Just think about it."

She nodded and gave him a small smile even though the answer in her head was 'No'. "So, what else did you need to talk to me about?"

His hand dropped from her shoulder and they both went back to their respective dishes. "Well, my publisher is throwing me a party since they've been putting me through so many rewrites. I was wondering if you wanted to go," he asked casually and from the corner of his eye he could see her shrug.

"When is it?"

"Tomorrow night," he said quietly and she turned around for the second time.

"Tomorrow? Jeez, could you have given me any shorter notice?"

Lucas shrugged innocently. Truth was he hadn't planned on inviting Brooke, considering things were still pretty awkward between them and he knew it was better to let Brooke approach him first. Then Paul had come up to him today and said that if the girl behind the red door was in his life that he should defiantly bring her because it would make the publishers happier and speed up the publishing process.

It wasn't that he was inviting her on that simple 'suggestion' alone because he had wanted to invite her, but just didn't think it would be a good idea. He returned his attention back to her when he heard her sigh. "Fine. I'll go. But I'm not leaving Henley with Rachel."

She had yet to forgive Rachel for spilling about her job. She didn't care if the red head meant well, it was wrong and something old bitchy slutty Rachel would do. "Fine."

* * *

He knocked on her door today at exactly 7:00 pm the next day. He was dressed in a simple black suit with a tie to match. He had his hands in his pockets, looking around the apartment building when she opened the door. He looked up and his breath caught momentarily in his throat.

Brooke was wearing a stunning dark green dress. She had actually been quite proud of the fact that she could fit into it. She had gotten it form one of her neighbors who had worn it in the 50's. It had a green satin heart shaped bodice and a beaded waist. It had pleated tulle over the chest and up around the neck, leading to the beaded collar at her neck. The skirt was extremely full and pleated, made from tulle as well. She had on black pumps and had a black satin wrap to go along with it. Her hair was straight and pulled into a half ponytail, letting her bangs sweep to the side. Her make up was light except for her eyes where she wore dark eye liner, making her green eyes stand out even more.

"What? Did you think only Peyton could pull off vintage?" Brooke asked casually, closing the door behind her.

She bit her lip shyly and Lucas's mouth dropped open. "Wow," he finally got out and Brooke smiled widely, laughing lightly. "You look... amazing."

"Thank you. You will too as soon as I fix your tie." He looked down at his messy tie and shrugged his shoulders. He could never grasp the art of tying even though everyone had tried to teach him multiple times. He watched as her small hands came up to the tie, pulling it out of his jacket so she could begin retying it. Her slender fingers made quick work of the knot and she retied it perfectly. "There," she said, placing the tie back where it belonged and smoothing out his jacket. "Perfect."

"Thanks," he said, holding his arm out. She slipped her arm through his as they began to walk out of the building. "Henley is with your neighbor right?"

Brooke nodded as they walked into the cool November air. She could sense he felt awkward about leaving Henley with her neighbor. "She's fine Luke. I wouldn't leave her with anyone I didn't trust completely."

"Thanks again for coming with me," Lucas said as he opened the cab door for her. She slid in, offering a, 'Don't mention it' as she did so.

* * *

"Lucas! You're finally here!" Paul said, coming up to the blonde and brunette who had just walked through the French doors. "Wow, you must be Brooke. It is a pleasure to meet you." Brooke smiled the socialite smile her mother had taught her and offered the man her hand, which he gladly shook.

"Nice to meet you too," Brooke replied, readjusting her wrap. "I'm going to find the ladies room and let the two of you talk." She slid her arm out of Lucas's.

"She certainly is something, isn't she?" Paul asked once Brooke was out of earshot.

"She really is," Lucas mumbled, watching Brooke weave her way through the sea of tables. Over the past few months he'd gotten over his initial rage towards Brooke. She did it all to protect her and her daughter and he could understand that. She was doing what she thought was best even though it hurt him. He hadn't really realized his feelings again until tonight. But that's what she did to him. Brooke always surprised him, mesmerized him. He could glance at her once and he would go weak in the knees. She was the mother of his daughter and just possibly, the only woman he could live forever with.

* * *

"Hello. I'm sorry to interrupt, but can I borrow Lucas for a moment?"

The older man to whom she had not been introduced to smiled down at her and nodded. Broke grabbed Lucas's hand and led him to a less occupied area of the room.

"Thank you for getting me out of there. I was ready to fall asleep," Lucas said with a laugh, noticing that Brooke was biting her bottom lip again. Only this time it wasn't in a shy or cute manner; something was wrong. "What is it?"

"There is a slight... um... problem." She was fiddling with her hands and looking at everything but him.

"What is wrong?" he asked, more sternly than before.

"Well, you see the man right there?" she asked, pointing discretely. "The one with the red tie, bad comb over?" Lucas nodded and looked at the man briefly before returning his attention to Brooke. "I've met him before."

"Why is that a problem?" Lucas asked, almost wanting to laugh at Brooke's antics.

"You don't understand. I've **met** him before Lucas! That man can tell you where my tattoo is!" Brooke whispered harshly, watching Lucas' face fall.

"He was a customer?" Lucas whispered back, utterly shocked that Jeff, a man that had 3 kids and had been happily married for over 25 years had gone to a seedy strip club in one of the worst parts of town.

"He's a fucking _regular_! I see him every Sunday! He _always_ requests me," Brooke said quietly, glancing over at the man, noticing that he was looking over at them. "Oh my god. I am SO SORRY if I mess this up for you."

"Just act stupid okay? If he brings it up act like you don't know anything," Lucas replied quickly, his hands starting to sweat a little bit.

"Hello Lucas. Who is this lovely woman?" he asked, looking at Brooke, his eyes focusing on her.

"Brooke Davis. It is wonderful to meet you." She stuck her hand out and he shook it cautiously. If this was the kind of man Brooke thought he was he wouldn't bring it up.

"Have we met before?" Lucas moved uncomfortably next to Brooke who shook her head.

"I've only lived here for a few weeks," Brooke responded, slipping her arm through Lucas' for added reassurance.

"Really? Was it work related?"

"Not at all. I came here for Lucas. Right now I'm working at this little cafe." The lie rolled off her tongue smoothly, confusing the man in front of her.

"I'll be seeing you," he stated, tipping his glass towards her before walking away from them.

"I have never seen anyone bullshit so well in my life," Lucas said as he let out a huge breath.

"What can I say? I learned from my mother who could make you believe anything. She was able to convince my father she loved him," Brooke replied with a shrug and a small laugh.

He was about to say something when he felt something vibrate in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and saw NATHAN flashing across the screen. "Hello?"

"Lucas." He could already tell by the sound of Nathan's voice that something wasn't right. His voice was shaky and he thought that he could hear crying in the background. "It's your mom."


	14. Make You Feel Better

Hey all! Thanks for the reviews! I am MUCH MUCH prouder of this chapter and I think y'all will enjoy it too. We get to find out what is wrong with karen and I can promise you guys that I will not kill her off lol. It's a lot longer as well which is because you are on another small hiatus but I didn't leave you with a big cliffhanger lol. Oh! And I almost forgot: HAPPY ONE TREE HILL DAY! It's FINALLY coming back on! I'm like a junkie and I need my OTH fix lol. Hopefully tonight's episode is awesome! Enjoy ya guys!

"Hold her, I'll grab the luggage," Brooke said softly. He looked like he was about to protest, something that Brooke was silently thrilled about. He'd been like pod Lucas ever since he had gotten the call. "It's fine. Just stay here okay?"

Lucas nodded taking Henley from Brooke, making sure that the movement didn't wake his sleeping daughter. It seemed like she was only gone for a second, returning with their 3 bags as quickly as she had left. "Come on," she said as he grabbed one of the duffle bags from her hand. They were hit with a cold wind as soon as they walked out of the sliding glass doors. She managed to get a cab, something that was rare for Tree Hill Airport.

They threw the bags in the trunk and then Brooke slid into the cab first so that Lucas could hand Henley off to her. She told the driver where to take them as Lucas got into the cab, shutting the door behind them. They had gotten only a half a mile away from the airport when Brooke noticed that Lucas was breathing deeply. She knew him well enough to know his breathing habits, something that would seem completely stalkerish if one didn't know their past. She used to fall asleep to his slow and steady breathing when they were dating. It made her heart break every time she heard him breathe heavy because then he was in some sort of pain.

"Luke?" she asked, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her and she saw that his eyes were filled with tears and he was barely keeping them back. "Come here," she whispered, bringing his head to her shoulder. "It'll be okay." She rubbed his back and she felt him nod slightly against her shoulder. She leaned down and kissed his head then turned and kissed Henley's head, who was sleeping on her other shoulder, before settling into her seat. She kept her eyes forward for the rest of the ride, absently rubbing both Lucas's and Henley's back.

When Nathan had called only managing to say 'Get here now' before he had to hang up, Lucas had dropped the phone. They left the party immediately, Brooke already making a plan in her head. She told Lucas to go home and pack a bag and book three plan tickets on a flight to Tree Hill. She would go home and get Henley, pack them a bag and meet him at his apartment. Brooke had to go up to Lucas's apartment with Henley who was much too hyper for 9:30 at night. Lucas had barely managed to book the tickets so Brooke took it upon herself to pack him a bag and get them downstairs and into the cab that was waiting.

Henley loved the plane ride considering it was her first time and Brooke gladly let her have the window seat. The flight attendants paid special attention to her, probably because she was also the only person under the age of 17 on the plane. She had fallen asleep halfway through and Brooke dozed off shortly after. Still Lucas had held on to her hand tightly for the whole flight, never once taking his eyes off of the seat in front of him.

He had been emotionless the whole time, but from his constant foot tapping. She could tell he was extremely worried. He had already lost Keith, the man that had raised him. He wouldn't be able to handle loosing Karen too.

The cab stopped in front of the hospital and Brooke motioned for Lucas to get out first. He did so, opening his arms for Henley to which Brooke passed her off. Brooke reached into her purse and pulled out a 20, handing it to the driver before getting out herself. Lucas handed Henley back to Brooke before getting the bags from the back. He slung one over his shoulder and held the other two in his other hand. Brooke slid her hand into his, giving it a light squeeze as they walked into the hospital and up to the elevator.

Coming out the elevator Brooke couldn't help, but think about how they looked like a family. Their sleeping daughter on her shoulder, her hand slipped into his as they marched forward to their depressing destination. They reached the second story and found Nathan standing in front of the receptionist desk. "Nathan," Brooke called out and he turned around. His face was red and his eyes looked swollen. In all the years that Brooke had known Nathan she had only seen him cry once, when Haley left him. Now he was crying for a woman that wasn't even his mother yet had grown close to over the years.

"She's getting some tests run right now," Nathan mumbled nervously and Brooke glanced over at a distraught Haley sitting in one of the chairs.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked shakily, dropping the duffle bags onto the ground. Brooke walked over to Haley, pushing one of the duffle bags with her foot. Haley stood up awkwardly and cleared a row of chairs so Brooke could lay Henley down. Brooke glanced around the empty waiting room, finding only two more worrisome people. While Brooke was lying Henley down, Haley went to go get the two other duffle bags from Lucas before returning to her chair.

Brooke took a seat next to her both of them sitting in an uncomfortable silence, the only sound was the florescent lights softly humming above them and the soft murmur coming from Lucas and Nathan at the receptionist desk. It wasn't because they'd left on horrible terms. It was because they had found themselves in a horrible situation which had led the four adults there.

"She kept saying it was just a cold," Haley mumbled, Brooke's attention being brought towards her. "She said it would pass." Brooke had been close to Karen, but nowhere near as close as Haley was.

Karen had been in Haley's life everyday for the bulk of her life. She was one of her honorary daughters, only she was around for life, whether she wanted to be or not. She was 'Grandma Karen' to Haley's children and after many years of working shifts at the cafe, had let Haley become a partner. They talked everyday and Haley knew she was sick, really sick. Still she didn't force the elder woman to go to the doctor's, because in Haley's mind Karen would always know best.

"What is it?" Brooke's voice cracked and she noticed Haley clutch the arm rests of the chair.

"Pneumonia." Haley's eyes were wide, tears glazing them over. Brooke nodded her head slowly, glancing over at her daughter who was shifting in the seats. Brooke placed her hand on top of Haley's as she heard Haley begin to cry, a new batch of tears falling down her cheeks. "She was coughing up blood."

* * *

Henley was surprisingly still asleep when they finally reached Karen's. They had stopped by Peyton's with Haley to pick up Katherine and bring her home. They walked through the kitchen door to reveal a messy house, something that was very unfamiliar to Brooke and Lucas. The Roe household was always spotless.

"We should get the girls into bed," Brooke said quietly, both girls were asleep on each of their shoulders. Lucas nodded and they walked through the familiar house and into what had once been Lucas's room. They settled the girls down before turning and walking out of the room.

"You should try to get some sleep." Brooke walked over to Karen's room and flipped on the light. The room was a mess and she immediately went over and started clearing the bedside table of tissues. She pulled back the blankets as Lucas stood in the doorway and watched her. "I'll go get our bags from the porch, just lie down. You need your sleep. Later we can go back to check on your mom."

Lucas didn't acknowledge her words this time, simply following her instructions instead. Brooke closed the door softly behind her and checked on the girls before getting the bags. She put them on the floor underneath the kitchen table and looked around. Dishes were piled high in the sink and the trash needed to be taken out. Brooke sighed to herself and walked over to the sink, pulling the pair of yellow rubber gloves out from under the sink.

She made her way through the house with a big trash bag, throwing the used tissues, empty boxes and paper plates into it, throwing any other trash she found in along the way. When she finally made her way back into the kitchen she took the already filled trash bag and the one in her hand and threw it outside in the trash. When she came back in she took off the gloves, sighed and tied her hair into a messy bun.

She started working on the mountain of dishes and got halfway through when she heard a noise behind her. She expected one of the girls, but when she turned around she found Lucas staring back at her. She placed a small smile on her face, but she found it hard to keep it there. She wanted to tell him everything was okay, but she was scared herself.

"I can't sleep." It came out like a whisper, but it was the most he had said to anyone other than Nathan or a doctor in over 5 hours. She nodded and placed the coffee mug back down in the sink and grabbed a towel to dry her hands. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

He reminded her of a child the way his questions were worded and the way he sounds. "Who else is going to clean?" she asked softly.

"Sleep," he pressed and she shook her head.

"I will. You need to sleep though." She looked into his eyes and saw the sad, pleading look in them. "Do you want me to sleep with you?"

"Please?" His voice was shaky and it was like he was almost afraid of asking her.

"Okay," she said, turning off the faucet. She walked over to him slowly, turning the kitchen light off in the process. She grabbed his hand gently and walked him back to his mother's room. The light was off, the moonlight poking through the half open blinds. She led him to the bed where she had pulled back the covers and let him lie down. She covered him with the blankets, asking herself in her head if they should be sleeping in the bed of a sick person. But it looked like Karen had spent most of her time on the couch so Brooke made a mental reminder to clean the couch good tomorrow.

She got in on the other side on top of the blankets and scooted closer to Lucas. She wrapped her arm around his stomach and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. "I can't loose her." His voice was even shakier because the tears were finally falling down his face.

Brooke kissed his shoulder and squeezed his hand a little tighter. "You won't." Her voice is steady and strong and he almost believes her. "I promise you, you won't lose her." He listened to her soft humming and by the time the clock reached 5:30 he'd fallen asleep, still clutching on to Brooke's hand.

* * *

Lucas woke up to the bright light falling on to his face. He rolled over expecting to feel Brooke there, but instead the bed was cold and empty. He opened his eyes slowly then blinking a few times to adjust to the sunlight that was filling the room.

He walked through out the house, catching the clock in the living room. _8:00 a.m._ He sighed, tired and worried all at once. He noticed he house was completely clean and when he turned into the kitchen he saw the three girls sitting at the table eating pancakes.

Brooke glanced up at him and offered him a soft smile before getting up. "Are you hungry?" He shrugged and she took it upon herself to make him a plate. "When you're done you should shower and we'll go see your mom." She handed him the plate and then turned back to the girls, putting a friendlier smile on.

He sat down robotically in between Katherine and Henley and started eating. The girls were talking about something with Brooke who actually looked interested in what they were saying. When he was halfway done with his plate Brooke took the girls by the hand and led them back into the room. "I'm going to get them dressed," she said softly and he nodded once more, taking a bite of a pancake.

She left the room with the girls leaving him there to sit and think alone. He felt like he should be going faster or just should have left to go to the hospital. But he doesn't want to see his mom. In his eyes she was God, the strongest woman he ever knew. She didn't deserve to be sick like that and he didn't know if he could handle seeing her like that. Hooked up to everything and looking so sick. He shook his head. He didn't even want to think about it.

Brooke came back into the room, childless and began clearing the table. "Are you done?" He nodded and she took his plate as well. She put the dishes in the sparkling clean sink and ran her hands through her dirty hair. "You should shower and then we'll go."

"No."

She turned around slowly, a look of shock yet slight understanding on her face. "Do you just want to go now? The girls are ready and I can just go like this..." she trailed off because she knew she'd just go into a nervous ramble, but even this situation seems too serious to do so.

"I can't see her," Lucas murmured. "If she's gonna be fine then why should I have to go and see her like that? She's going to home again soon."

Brooke stood there, sort of shell shocked. How was she supposed to respond to that? She opened her mouth to speak only to close it again when she realized she had nothing to say. "She'd want you there Lucas. And what if things get worse? You need to be there for her." She wasn't sure if she could handle Lucas going into a depression again. What happened with Keith nearly killed him and ultimately killed their relationship. She had given everything she had to Lucas after that and it wasn't enough. Sure they weren't dating, but she couldn't go through that again especially not while she had Henley.

"I can't see her like that," he said in a low tone, the serious tone of his voice shocking her a bit.

"Fine," Brooke said with a tight mouth. "Then you can watch the girls because I am going to see your mother. There should be enough food to make them sandwiches in case I'm not home before lunch. I'll get some groceries on my way back." She turned on her heel and walked back to the sink to start on the dishes only to decide against doing them.

"Do you need money?"

She shook her head. "I don't need your money." Truth was she really should be saving the spare money she had. This trip was already costing her a lot which was going to make the bills tighter this month especially with Henley's birthday and Christmas coming up. She would have to take on some extra shifts if she wanted to pay all of her bills this month.

* * *

Brooke walked down the white sterile hallway making her way back to the place she had been earlier that day. She noticed Dan sitting in the waiting room his head slumped into his hands. She walked up to him slowly, shoving him lightly. "Dan?"

He opened his eyes quickly jumping up, thinking that it was one of the doctors. He was shocked to find Brooke standing in front of him when he hadn't seen her in 5 years. "Ms. Davis?" he questioned skeptically. She nodded, offering him the smallest of dimpled smiles. Apparently he wasn't a bad guy anymore, but she still never felt comfortable around Dan. She knew what he was like before, before Lucas reentered his life, before Nathan reached high school. He was one scary, intimidating man. That's why she was barely able to respond when he hugged her.

"Is she okay?" she asked when they pulled out of the hug. She sat down in the chair next to him, setting her purse down next to her.

"They said she's getting better. Responding to the antibiotics and what not, but she's not out of the woods yet," he responded sullenly, glancing up at the clock. "Is Lucas with you?"

She looked down at her hands where she was fiddling with her thumbs. She shook her head, almost ashamed that she had come without him. Like she had let Dan down by not making Lucas come. "He said he couldn't see her like this."

"So you did come to Tree Hill with Lucas?" Dan asked with a wry smile. Brooke glanced over at him, realizing that it must have been a complete shock for him to see her. It wasn't like he knew she was coming or even back in contact with everyone. "It's okay. I don't blame him. It's not like anyone would want to come here. "

"Not under these circumstances anyway," Brook muttered, getting a slightly confused look from Dan. "The last time I was in a hospital before all this I was giving birth. Although I guess at the time I was in a lot of pain, but they gave me lots of drugs." They shared a small laugh before Brooke continued. "It's a lot easier coming here knowing a life just begun than knowing that one is hanging in the balance."

The sat in silence for a while as doctors and nurses walked down the hallway and into different rooms none paying any attention to them. "Henley?" Dan asked and Brooke turned to look at him. "Karen told me about your little girl. Plus Katherine wouldn't stop talking about her."

Brooke smiled. "Everyone seems to be fascinated by her." She knows that it should be something her and Lucas discuss first but she can't seem to help herself. "Is Karen allowed visitors yet?"

Dan shook his head sadly. "Not until she's out of ICU." Brooke nodded thoughtfully beside him. "Why?"

"I just need to tell her something. I want her to be the first to know." Dan nodded, understanding the young woman completely. They sit in silence once more before she looked up at the clock. "I should get going. I still have to go get groceries."

"Thank you for coming Brooke," Dan said, standing up when Brooke does so. "It means a lot that you did. Even if all we did was sit in the waiting room."

She smiled again, feeling more comfortable around Dan now. "I needed to be here especially since he couldn't." They hugged again before she finally walked back down the empty hallway.

* * *

Brooke walked into the empty house, surprised that she didn't hear the girls playing. She set the grocery bags down on the dining room table catching sight of the note Lucas had left on the table.

_Took the girls to the Rivercourt and out to lunch. Lucas_

"At least he's doing something," Brooke said to herself as she began to put away the groceries. At least he was the same with the girls, not acting standoffish with them.

When all the groceries were put away she started making a casserole, something that should be done in time for dinner if she timed it right. "Lucas?" Brooke put down the cheese that was in her hand when she heard the female voice coming from behind her. "Oh."

Brooke turned around slowly, already knowing that Haley was behind her. "Hey Haley." It was hard for Haley to accept that Brooke was actually there. Last night she had been in such a state of shock that she allowed herself to be comforted by Brooke, the only one who seemed to be semi calm about the whole thing. "What's that?"

"I.. I made a lasagna for you guys," Haley said quietly. "I knew there wasn't much in the house and I know Lucas can't cook to save his life and I wasn't sure how good your cooking skills were."

"They've gotten much better. Although I guess Henley is some what bias," Brooke said with a small laugh and Haley had to force herself not to glare at the brunette. How could she laugh at a time like this? Haley was using just about all she had to keep it together for Nathan and her kids. Sensing the tension in the air, Brooke stepped towards Haley, holding her hand out for the pan. "I can put it in the freezer and we could it eat tomorrow." She felt like everything she said was just wrong.

"Is Lucas here?" Haley asked, pushing her sunglasses back before they slipped back on to her face. Brooke shook her head as she place the lasagna into the freezer.

The two women stood in the kitchen awkwardly before Haley finally made the first move. "Tell him I stopped by?" Brooke nodded and Haley made her way to the door, getting half way out until Brooke's voice stopped her.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

Haley turned around slowly, due in part to her large belly. She rubbed it unconsciously as she answered. "Another boy." Brooke nodded, a small smile on her face. Pregnancy suited Haley well. "We were going to make you god mother you know?" Brooke took her eyes off of Haley's belly to look at Haley, confused. "Michael's god mother. The title was yours, but then you left." Brooke looked down sadly, that guilty feeling once again settling in her stomach. "I know you left for a good reason Brooke, it just hurts that you didn't feel like you could trust me enough to tell me what was going on."

Brooke nodded. "I know. Leaving you behind was one of the hardest things I had to do. You were my only best friend. It's been hard not having you or anyone there the past 5 years. But that's the choice I made and I have to live with it."

Haley let out a sigh, finding her way back into the house slightly. "It's weird. Every time something big happened in Lucas's life I've be there for him. I'd help him through the hurt or ride along with him during the happy. It's gonna take some getting used to knowing that he has someone else to do that for him now." Haley wasn't going to lie. She resented Brooke a little for it. Haley always helped him through things and vise versa. It felt like Brooke was invading on something way too personal, something that started before they even knew her, back when it was just Lucas and Haley.

"I'm not trying to replace you Haley. I never can. You're his Hales. That's never going to change." Haley nodded, her features softening for the first time since she had gotten there.

"I'll see you," Haley called before finally leaving the house.


	15. Here in Your Arms

Hey everyone! So, you weren't supposed to get this update yet but my beta is taking a while with Always Love I apologize for the lack of updates on that and this chapter kept playing in my head so I just wrote it lol. It's a very BL centric chapter which I'm sure you will all love. Big thanks to **Lynn** on the shower scene becasue I really didn't think it was good and she assured me that it was. The ending scene is kinda eh, but I like it enough. Thank you all SO MUCH for the reviews! I can't believe I've already hit 230! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

Brooke stood under the continuous flow of water, letting it wash over her body. She was tempted to sit down in the tub and take a nap because lord knew she needed it. The past two days had been stressful to say the least and she got even less sleep than she normally did.

She knew Lucas and the girls would be home soon and she wanted dinner to be ready by the time they got back. So, she reluctantly turned off the water and pulled back the see through curtain, stepping out of the shower. She wrapped herself in the fluffy cotton towel and opened the bathroom door, allowing a gust of cool air to enter the steam filled bathroom. She had to admit, it was wonderful to take a hot shower and have the hot water last the whole time.

She shut Karen's door behind her, going over to her bag of clothes that sat in the corner of the room. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, walking over to the bed where she threw the clothes down. She took her towel off, drying her arms and chest before setting her left leg on the edge of the bed so she could start to dry her leg.

Her head turned to the door when she heard the door open, already pulling the towel up to cover the front half of her body. She expected to see one of the girls but instead, she saw Lucas whose eyes were wide. "Oh, I'm _so_ sorry." Lucas fumbled, closing his eyes and turning halfway out of the room.

"It's okay Lucas." Her words are soft and gentle and it made him feel completely safe. He turned back towards her slowly, opening his eyes a little. The sun was seeping in through the blinds and even though her back half was naked, the sun blinded him and he could only see the outline of her nude form. He took in her body only briefly before realizing that despite the fact he could only outline her body, she was naked and he put his eyes back on her face, the beautiful face he loved.

A gentle smile graced her lips, one that reminded him of the way she smiled to Katherine and Henley, but he knew that only he had seen that smile before. It was the same smile she gave him after Keith died and when he was feeling particularly low. The smile was intended to make him feel safe and that he could approach her with all of his problems.

Her hair hung past her shoulders, curling due to the wetness. Her skin was light and from where he stood it looked so soft and he was completely entranced by her. She looked like an angel, sent just for him to help him cope with everything that was happening to his mother. He realized a moment later that she had said something but he had been to busy fascinating about her to hear what she had said. Her smile got a little wider when she realized that he didn't hear her. "Are you okay?"

Her words glide over to him and because she had absolutely stunned him, he just nodded. "There's a casserole in the oven. Can you check on that for me?" Her earlier anger towards his refusal to see his mother is gone because she saw that his eyes were red, probably due to crying even though she didn't know how he could have fit that in when watching the girls.

He nodded again, before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. She let out the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding as soon as she heard the door click shut.

* * *

They lied in bed together, his head on her chest and her hand running up and down his back soothingly. They had just put the girls in Katherine's room since they feel asleep half way through Finding Nemo on Karen's bed. It was peaceful, the house completely quiet, and it seemed like they were the only two people in the town. "Ya know," Lucas started, tilting his head up towards Brooke's, "I think everything is going to be okay."

She smiled but behind the smile he could tell she was confused. "I feel safe right now. And that just makes me feel that everything is going to be okay."

"Good. You have no reason to believe it's not going to be okay. Your mom's going to get better, your book is going to be published, your spending a lot of time with your daughter and your friends and family. Everything **is** good for you Lucas." she whispered and he let out a breath.

"Is everything good for you?" He asked wearily, lifting his head from her chest to look her in the eye properly. "Do you feel safe?"

The last two days had been 'comfort' days, at least to her. In Tree Hill, it was like her life in New York didn't exist. Here, she was just the same old Brooke Davis. She was the girl who wasn't a stripper, who didn't keep her daughter from her father for 5 years, who didn't live in a run down apartment. She let out a shaky breath, and shook her head. "I haven't felt safe in a long time."

It killed him to hear those words. "When was the last time?" She laughed lightly because he sounded way too much like Dr. Phil in that one sentence. She was quiet for a while and he knew she was thinking. Their hands had found each others during the silence, their fingers lacing just before she started talking. "Prom night."

He smiled automatically at the thought of that night. She had kept her eyes focused on their hands but looked up at him and saw his small smile and squinty eyes and that alone made her continue. "Remember, how we fell asleep and then you woke me up because you kept touching me?" His smile got bigger and she shoved him slightly with their intertwined hands. "Anyway, do you remember how once we were done, _again, _I just laid my head on your chest?" She looked up at him and saw him nod. "We were just talking and I was listening to your heartbeat and I just felt really safe and secure. The next day didn't matter and what we did didn't matter because it was just us. Everything else slipped away and we had the longest conversation we ever had and we didn't even mention Peyton once."

In his mind, the conversation they had was a little fuzzy but the way she was talking it was like she remembered every little detail, and knowing her she probably did. "I've really missed that feeling over the years." He let go of her hand and she wasn't sure what he was doing but before she realized it, her head was on his chest and both of his arms were wrapped around her.

"You deserve to feel safe Brooke." Lucas whispered into her ear and he felt her smile against his chest.

She took in a deep breath, the smell of his soap and cologne filling her nose. It amazed her sometimes how much she could love that man. "Thank you Lucas." In her mind, she knew that he was going through enough and that she should still be holding him, but she took the selfish route because for the first time in a long time, she was in his arms and the world seemed to disappear around them.

* * *

Brooke woke up a few hours later, her head rising and falling with Lucas' chest. She glanced over at the clock and she realized it was only 3:30. Normally, she'd just be getting home, dropping Henley off in her bed and then taking a shower. She made the hard decision of un tangling herself from Lucas' arms in favor of a hot shower. These last two days she had fallen under a spell. She forgot what her real life was like and she knew she would have to go back to it soon enough. It was after all, why she had woken up. Her body wasn't used to that many hours of sleep.

She crept into the small bathroom, flicking on the bright light that made her close her eyes. She reached behind the shower curtain and turned the two knobs, making sure the water was nice and hot. She began to disrobe, first pulling her shirt off over her head and then sliding out of the sweats she had borrowed from Lucas. Next were the white cotton underwear and finally the hair tie that had kept her hair in a bun.

She pulled back the curtain and stepped once again under the continuos flow of water. She sighed, dipping her head underneath the water before sitting down in the tub, wrapping her arms around her legs. After a few minutes with her thoughts, she heard a soft knocking at the door. "Brooke?"

"Come in." She said softly, standing back up, facing the door. He opened the door slowly, poking his head inside the bathroom. He could see her body clearly this time, no sun blinding him, no towel covering her curves. He knew he should turn away. They weren't together and because of that he felt like it was wrong to look. But, he didn't and she didn't make any attempt to cover herself.

She smiled at him again, only this time, it wasn't the soft safe smile she had been giving him the past two days, not exactly. Her dimples were in all there glory and one of her eyebrows were cocked. It was the look of seduction and his ears perked up when he heard her say "Join me."

By the time the words left her mouth, he was already in the bathroom and she had pulled back the curtain, ushering him to come closer. She placed her dripping hands on his sides at the hem of his shirt and carefully pulled it over his head. Once the shirt hit the cold tile, he lifted his hands up to her face wearily, taking her wet cheeks into his hands. Their breath was shaky and she could tell in his eyes that he wanted this. In the back of her mind, she wondered if it was because he wanted to feel safe again. She knew he was still worried about his mom and that was probably fueling him towards her. She of course had been with him when everything in his life was good and it was natural for him want to go back to that familiar happier place. It shouldn't be that way though, it should be because he loves her. But, she can also see the desire in his eyes and she felt that familiar ache between her legs. So, all logical thoughts left her head as she placed her hands on his gently. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers before pulling away.

"Hey." She whispered, placing one of her hands on the back of his neck, rubbing her thumb along his hair line. He was looking at the other side of the room, focussing on the sink and she brought her lips back to his. That time he didn't pull away. Her lips were softer than the last time they had kissed and his stubble brushed her chin, something that hadn't been there the last time. She ran her tongue across his bottom lip and that was when he pulled away again. She frowned this time, one that got bigger when he took his hands off her cheeks. His gaze returned to the other side of the room.

He wasn't looking at her and it reminded her all too much of that night in the strip club. She sighed and dropped her hand from his neck. "Why wont you look at me?" Her voice was still soft but it didn't make him feel safe. Now, it made him scared because she sounded sad. He looked back at her then, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He didn't want to be like all the other men who had seen Brooke like that. He wanted it to mean something to her and he didn't want her to feel like she had to do this. He was an adult and yes he was hurting but he didn't want her to save him again. "I won't leave Luke."

His hands were back on her cheeks, her lips back on his. Her hands went to the top of his boxers, her index finger slipping below the elastic. With one swift movement they were around his ankles and she began to move backwards, making room for him to step in. Her tongue once again asked for entrance and this time he allowed her.

The water was hitting her back as his arms slipped around her waist. "I don't want to be like them." he said softly once they broke apart for air.

She nodded, her hands coming up to his cheeks. "You're not." She pressed a light kiss against his lips, pulling back almost immediately. "You're not." She said again for added emphasis.

He nodded, his hands running up and down her back and he felt her shiver. He wanted to tell her that she was better than that. She was better than working there but he knew that wouldn't do any good and at that moment he just needed to feel her. So, he kissed her again, his hand moving to her thigh and she pressed her body into his.

His lips left hers, going down to her neck, breasts and stomach. He kissed the scar on her hip that she got when she fell of her bike and on to a rock when she was 7. By the time he got to the dark ink that laid on her pelvis, his hand was rubbing the inside of her thigh, not quite where she wanted it to be yet. Then, she felt his tongue outline her tattoo and she had to stop herself from falling over it felt _so fucking good_. He placed a kiss on her tattoo and she grabbed his hand that laid on her hip, pulling him back up to her. Her lips found his instantly and he placed his hands securely on her hips before he lifted her up slowly, her legs wrapping around his waist.

Every time she had had sex there would always be something before, some sort of touching but this time, all she needed was to feel his lips and she was ready. They stopped kissing briefly as he made sure that this was what she wanted and that if they did this there would be no regrets. With locked eyes he entered her and she didn't even try to hide her satisfaction. Her lips returned to his as he continued to go in and out of her, moving so that her back was pressed up against the shower curtain against the wall. In time, her lips moved to his shoulders where she left soft butterfly kisses. Every little thing was slow and sensual and... perfect. She had to bite her lip when she came because there was that one little part in her mind that reminded her of the children who were sleeping soundly down the hall.

Moments later he followed her and kissed her hard before finally setting her back down on the ground. She wrapped her arms around her waist where her legs had just been and rested her head on his chest, trying to regain her breath. It'd been a long time since they both felt so good and they were going to enjoy the time they had together, even if nothing came from this moment.

* * *

Dan had called around 7 that morning and Brooke had been the one to answer the phone. Karen was out of ICU. She was still weak and sleeping but she was out and she was safe. She wasn't sure if she should tell Lucas where they were going but he read her like a book. "Was that Dan?" She nodded. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, the other going into the pocket of his jeans. "I'll grab Katherine."

They made it to the hospital rather quickly, Lucas tapping his free foot the whole ride there. They entered the hospital very different this time though. Brooke was walking ahead, holding on to the girls' hands, one on each side of her while Lucas trailed behind them, his hands shoved into his pockets. Brooke led the girls over to the play area in the corner and then walked back up to Lucas who had just walked up to the receptionist desk.

"You should see her first." She turned around and looked at him confused. " At least I'm here Brooke. I just... I need to get my head in the right place."

So, she left him and walked into Karen's room, Dan sitting next to her bed watching the news. He smiled when he saw her and gave her a quick hug before leaving the room. It was weird being there, especially with the way Karen looked. She was pale and had tubes going in and out of her. Brooke sat down in the chair that Dan had left to the bed and sat there awkwardly, she wasn't sure what she should do. "You smell like smoke." Her voice was cracky and it sounded like she forced the sentence out.

"Karen?" Brooke asked, her voice hopeful and then the older brunette turned her head to look at Brooke, her eyes open.

"You've been smoking." Karen said clearer once she had drank a little water that Brooke had given to her. "It's a horrible habit Brooke."

Brooke hadn't smoked since yesterday, right after she left the grocery store. But, Karen had always been able to tell when she was hiding something, or simply leaving something out. That was one of the things she loved about Karen, the motherly instincts. "I know."

"I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're awake!" Brooke said with a small laugh. "Do you want me to get Lucas? He's been taking this really hard. He wouldn't even come with me yesterday when I stopped by to see how you were doing. But, that's Lucas ya know? Plus he thinks so highly of you and I don't think he's ever really seen you down. But then again what do I know, I haven't." Brooke stopped to take in a breath and caught sight of Karen's smile. "And I'm rambling like a crazy person. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry Brooke. I've missed your ramblings." Karen took a few deep breaths in and out, something that worried Brooke.

"You really have no idea how happy I am that you're awake and well." Brooke began playing with her fingers trying to work up enough courage to say what she wanted to say. "Because I really want you to meet your granddaughter."

She expected to see shock on Karen's face but instead, the cool smile still stayed there. "I've met Henley before." Instead, it was Brooke who had the look of confusion on her face. "So she really is Lucas'?"

Brooke nodded wearily. "How did you know?"

Karen shrugged. "Sometimes you just do. Especially after I met her at the wedding. She seemed a lot like Lucas."

Brooke felt relieved and allowed herself to get a little more comfortable in the chair she was sitting in. They talked about how Katherine was doing and more about Henley and talked only how mother and daughters do. When Brooke got up to go and try and get Lucas in the room, Karen stopped her when she got to the door. "Brooke?" She turned around and looked at Karen a bit worried. "Do you love him?"

They hadn't talked about Lucas in a way that would display her feelings, at least that was what Brooke thought. But every time Brooke said Lucas, Karen saw her eyes light up and her smile get a little bigger. Her dimples were always her dead give away though. She knew the girl had never stopped loving her son, that much was obvious, especially during their senior year. Plus, Karen had heard the tearful goodbye that Brooke had left Lucas with the day she left for New York, though neither one knew that.

"Yeah." She said, trying to hide the smile that was forming on her lips. "I do."

Lucas came in 20 minutes later and Karen had no doubt in her mind that Brooke probably had to coax him into coming in the room. "Hi my boy." Within second he was hugging her, crying on to her shoulder.


	16. Where We Gonna Go From Here

I am SOOO VERY SORRY that this has taken so long! I'm horrible for not updating sooner. But hopefully this chapter will make up for it! There are about 4 more chapters of this story left before it ends. Even though this chapter migth be a let down the upcoming chapters will make you ahppoy I'm sure of it. Next chapter should hopefuly be up within the next week! Enjoy! 

Brooke stood at the kitchen sink, washing and rewashing the few dishes that were in there. They'd gotten home from the hospital about an hour ago, stopping by Haley and Nathan's on their way back to drop off the girls. The car ride had been silent after they'd dropped off the girls, mostly due to Brooke. After her conversation with Karen she'd started to feel extremely guilty. Karen still saw her as this great girl who had probably made something of herself up in New York.

If she only knew.

Not only had her life in New York come rushing back to her, but what she and Lucas had done the previous night had as well. She had been so careful around him up until then. She stayed guarded, she didn't let him into her life mainly because she knew he didn't approve. That then got her thinking as to why she thought she needed his approval and that eventually led her to the source of their problems. She loved him. She loved him so much it hurt. She loved the way his eyes were super squinty when he woke up and she loved how he played with Henley. She loved his brooding look and she loved the way he held her.

Suddenly she felt two warm hands wrap around her waist and rest on her stomach. She dropped the glass she had been holding in shock, it shattering as soon as it hit the porcelain sink. "A little jumpy," he murmured in her ear and she tensed a little in his arms. The one place that had always made her feel safe was now a place she feared. She'd opened up a lot last night by allowing him to take her in the shower. She shook her head subtly at herself. It wasn't like she hadn't initiated it.

She turned around slowly, his hands now resting on the sink with her in-between them. "Um." She was having a hard time getting her words out, as a matter of fact she was having trouble forming a single word. His lips were dangerously close to her's and she could almost feel herself giving in. She looked down at the ground before returning her gaze back up to his face. He seemed to notice that she tensed up and took a step back, crossing his arms against his chest. "I think that tomorrow Henley and I are going to head back to New York."

Confusion was evident on his face, his arms now dropping down to his sides. "What?" He honestly didn't think she'd leave without him. He thought they'd spend maybe another week here, maybe until after Henley's birthday so she could spend it with her family. "What do you mean you're going back to New York?"

Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "It is where we live in case you've forgotten." She turned back around, slowly picking up the pieces of glass that laid in the sink. "We've been here for a couple days and I really have to get back. Some of us have work to go to." She heard him scoff behind her and she bit her tongue. That had come out bitchier than she had intended.

"Oh yes because your job is _so_ much more serious than mine. I spend months writing and rewriting a book while you swing around a fucking pole without a top on." They hadn't spoken of her job since the night at the strip club and a part of him really feels bad for bringing it back up. He should have been the bigger person and let it slide, but he didn't. She aggravated him in a way that makes him mad like no other yet she always had the power to make him want to just rush forward and kiss her.

"Damn it Lucas. Don't start." She brushed past him, the shards of glass in her hand. She threw them into the trash before turning back around to find him standing directly in front of her.

"Does this have to do with last night?" Now it was her turn to cross her arms underneath her chest. Her features softened a little and the guilt suddenly catches back up with her. She was supposed to be responsible Brooke. She wasn't supposed to sleep with Lucas or kiss Lucas. She was just supposed to be **friends** with him. But of course, in typical Brooke Davis fashion, she'd fucked that up.

"Last night meant nothing Lucas." She has to stop whatever is going on between them now. She already knew if she allowed herself to have a relationship with him, she'd only get hurt again. She wouldn't put herself or Henley through that pain. She shrugged helplessly once more, looking everywhere but at him. He looked shocked and confused and like he wanted to protest what she had just said.

And he did. He knew that it meant everything. It wasn't just some fling, it wasn't just one moment of weakness. "Brooke..." She shook her head at him, her shoulders dropping as she released a sigh.

"We just wanted to feel safe." He couldn't be like how he has always been. He needed to open his mouth, to get his feelings out into the open before it was too late. He let her slip through his fingers so many times that he refused to let her go again.

"We're here!" Both their eyes moved to the kitchen doorway where Haley and the girls were walking in. Haley was all smiles until she looked up at Brooke who plastered a fake smile to her face. She glanced over at Lucas and noticed that he turned away. She quirked an eyebrow, but Brooke brushed it off walking over to Haley and picking up her daughter.

* * *

Lucas Scott officially fucked up his life. Most would call him successful. He was only 22 years old and graduated from college with an A average. He was about to have his book published and lived in a wonderfully huge apartment in the better part of New York City. He had a beautiful daughter who looked just like her mother and was thrilled every time she saw him. His family was loving and supportive and he had the cutest niece and nephew ever as well as the prettiest little sister. But Lucas Scott didn't have a wife or a fiancee or a girlfriend for that matter. Why? Because he doesn't know a good thing when he sees it.

He could have been with Brooke a billion times. They could have been married and happy right now. Instead, he was driving her and their daughter to the Tree Hill airport where she would be hopping on a plane back to her life in New York. They didn't talk much the past day and a half and truth be told he knew he should open his mouth again. He should let it out now since he was cut off by Haley the day before, but he didn't. He could tell when he looked into her eyes that when she said it meant nothing that she was lying. "Daddy." He was torn out of his thoughts by his daughter's high pitched voice. He looked in the rear view mirror to see his daughter coloring in the jumbo coloring book he bought her the other. "Are you coming with us back home?"

"Not right now. I've got to make sure that your grandma is okay before I can go back home." Brooke glanced back at her daughter and noticed that she frowned, but continued to color.

"Does that mean we can't get ice cream everyday anymore?" The sentence alone is enough to make him want to go home with them then, but he knew that he should be there with his mom, even though that meant leaving his baby girl.

"Don't worry pretty girl. I'll be home before you know it and by then it'll be your birthday and I'll buy you tons of presents." The smile returned to her face and she clapped her hands excitedly.

* * *

Brooke collapsed on her couch, jet lag finally setting in. Henley fell asleep on the cab ride home and Brooke had to carry her and their luggage up two flights of stairs. It was late, but Brooke didn't really know the word late anymore. So, she got up and trudged over to her small kitchen table, a nice assortment of bills laying on the table. She picked up her car insurance bill first, struggling to open the sealed envelope. She sighed when her eyes found the amount she needed to pay at the bottom.

She put that one aside, grabbing the envelope that held her rent notice. She already knew she was a week late on that. She opened it and her eyes grew wide again. "Fuck." She glanced over and found a few more bills, ones that probably already had a pretty hefty bill or ones that were sure to come with late charges. She already knew she didn't have the money. She might be able to make the rent if she sweet talked the owner of the building but she was screwed for her car insurance. Plus she had the credit card bill she hadn't even opened yet and Henley's birthday was coming up.

She rested her head in her hands and allowed herself to cry openly. The light bulb began to flicker above her head and Brooke lifted her head to survey the space around her. The crappy and dull looking apartment wasn't worth nine fifty a month even with what it included. Though she didn't want to admit it to herself, that wasn't the real reason she was crying, at least not the full reason. She knew that she had made a royal mess of her life. She fucked things up with Lucas, she probably lost her job at Centerfolds and within two months she'd probably be out on her ass probably without her car.

After a good twenty minutes of tears Brooke decided she wasn't going to do this. She wasn't going to cry and be sad over the life that she had created for herself. She chose to live like this and there was no use crying over it now. She glanced at the clock and noticed it ws almost one and decided that she should probably go to the club now and start her groveling. She checked on Henley once more and then despite her own protests, called Rachel. Within twenty minutes Rachel was over and Brooke left as soon as she got there.

She made it to the club in record speed and wrapped her jacket around her tighter when she walked in. After being in Tree Hill she felt even dirtier for being there. Stacy was on the pole and her eyes scanned the club trying to spot Jerry. "It's been a long time Brooke." She turned around slowly, finding Jerry standing behind her with a blank look on his face.

"Jerry, I'm _so_-"

He cut her off, crossing his arms. "I don't want to hear it Brooke." She shut her mouth and he waved for her to follow him to his office. Every time Brooke walked in there it surprised her at how normal his office looked. A simple desk with two bookshelves filled with pictures and some actual books along with other mementos. There was a couch and a coffee maker on one side of the room because as Brooke had come to know, Jerry spent most of his nights there. He motioned for her to sit down in front of his desk and she did so, crossing her legs in a avery lady like manner.

"You've been working here for a while correct?" In all the years Brooke had known Jerry she had never heard him talk so much and in such a business like tone.

She nodded. "Five years next year." He sifted through some papers on his desk, making a grunting noise every so often. The silence was beginning to get to Brooke who had begun tapping her foot lightly. Back when she had been fired from her waitressing job, they had fired her almost immediately. If Jerry was going to 'let her go', she wanted him to just spit it out now.

"I like you Brooke," he said finally and Brooke braced herself for what was coming up next. "You've taken off a total of thirteen days in the numerous years you have worked here and even though you have to bring Henley in from time to time you don't let it effect your work. And, well, you're the best thing I've got right now." Brooke shifted in her seat uneasily. This wasn't going how she had imagined it would. "So, I'm going to over look the fact that you missed two days of work before calling to say you'd be out for at least two more and let you keep your job."

Brooke let out one of the biggest sighs of relief. "Thank you _so_ much Jerry! If you want me to work more shifts I will." Somewhere in the back of her mind she found it odd that she was so grateful for keeping her job as a stripper.

"That wont be necessary Brooke. Henley's still small and you need yo spend as much of your time with her as possible." He paused and glanced over at a picture of a little girl on his bookshelf. He sighed before returning his attention back to Brooke. "But I did lose money on two bachelor parties because you were gone so I will have to deduct that from your pay." Brooke nodded, her smile truly genuine. "That's all I've got to say other than see you on Thursday."

Brooke got up from her seat and immediately threw her arms around Jerry's neck. "Thank you." She felt Jerry tense in her arms and she rubbed his back, much like she would rub Henley's when she was trying to get her to sleep. "Really. You're one of the few good people in this town." Finally he returned the hug, patting her back lightly before pulling away.

"Go be with your daughter Brooke."

* * *

Brooke returned home to find Rachel sitting at her kitchen table, looking through her pile of bills, jotting down something every so often on the notebook she had next to her. "What are you doing?"

Rachel looked up from the current bill in her hand before looking back down at the paper. "Figuring how much your bills are and then finding out how much I'm going to lend you." Brooke locked the door behind her before sitting down at the table next to Rachel. "I know I screwed up by telling Lucas and you really didn't need that and I'm really sorry if I fucked things up for you."

"I slept with him." Rachel dropped the pen in her hand, her moth dropping open a little. "In Tree Hill I slept with him and I think it may have been one of the many stupid decisions I have made." Rachel took off the glasses she had been wearing and placed them down on the table.

"Wow." Rachel thought for a minute before continuing. "Wait, why were you in Tree Hill?"

"Karen was sick in the hospital and Lucas was all... pod Lucas and I went with him to help him function."

A smirk formed on Rachel's face. "So his mom is in the hospital and your solution is to open your legs?"

Brooke kicked Rachel under the table. "It wasn't like that."

"I know, I'm just teasing," Rachel said, rubbing her shin. "So when? Where? I want details. You haven't gotten any action since you conceived Henley. What was it like?"

Brooke rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "In the shower at like three in the morning and it was... _amazing."_

Rachel let out a laugh due to the look on Brooke's face. "Of course it was amazing. You always gushed about Lucas when we roomed." Brooke bit her lip to try and hide the smile forming on her lips. "But you said that you think it was a mistake?" With that the smile on Brooke's face fell and she nodded sadly. "You have the biggest insecurities I swear."

"Shut up Rachel. I'm just... I'm not ready to go there again. And it's not because of what happened in high school. It's been almost 5 years, we're two very different people than we were back then and I have to think about what's best for Henley."

"And you don't think that her parents being together and happy is best?"

"Not with me and Lucas." Brooke sighed before getting up from the table. "Look, I don't want you to lend me money. I have a plan and if it falls through I'll talk to you."


	17. Such A Tease

Hey everyone! I know this is a bit late but at least there is an update! Once again thank you SO much for the reviews! I've finally figured out how exactly I'm going too end this story and I think you'll all enjot the last chapter of it! But that's still a couple chapters away. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! 

Lucas stood outside the airport, his duffle bag at his feet. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets in hope of keeping them warm in the cold December air. He was about to hail a cab when he caught site of a familiar blue bug coming towards him. He smiled and picked up his bag, walking over to the car that was now stopped about ten feet away from him. Henley jumped out of the car, her brown curls a major contrast against her bright red pea coat. "Daddy!"

"Pretty girl!" He lifted the small brunette into his arms and hugged her tight. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I have to tell you sooo much Daddy." As Henley continued talking, recapping every single day she was away from him in full detail, his eyes traveled to the woman in a pea coat matching his daughter's. She leaned against her car and stared at them with a goofy grin on her face. He returned his attention to his daughter and a few minutes later, while Henley was only on day 3 out of 7, Brooke came up laughing lightly.

"Henley you are going to talk your father's ear off. He just came back. Let him rest for a little while." Henley pouted before looking at both of her father's ears to make sure they were still secure on his head. Brooke smiled and stood on her tip toes and gave Lucas a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey Lucas, how was the rest of your trip?"

He smiled at the contact. "It was good. Spent some well deserved time with my mom." He noticed that Henley began shivering in his arms. "We should get going before she turns into a popsicle." Brooke nodded in agreement and they all piled into the small car, the heater blaring as soon as Brooke turned on the car. "Thanks for picking me up."

"It's not a problem. I wish I could say it was completely out of the kindness of my heart, but I actually have a motive." She glanced over at Lucas, noticing his amused smile and cocked eyebrow. She took a deep breath, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. "I know that stuff happened between us in Tree Hill and I really don't want that to effect what was going on between us before. And well..." She hated asking for help and truth be told she probably could support herself, but she'd just have to use the money in Henley's account.

He placed his hand a top of on her hers and squeezed it lightly. "Brooke whatever you need, I'll help."

She let out a breath and smiled over at him. "I was wondering if the offer to move in still stood?" They were stopped in the busy traffic and she looked over at him hesitantly. She was met with his warm smile, his head nodding.

"Of course!" He was just as thrilled as he sounded and he pulled Brooke in for a hug. She laughed at his enthusiasm and patted his back.

"Are we moving in with Daddy?" The two adults pulled apart and looked back at their daughter. Brooke nodded her head. "Yay!"

* * *

Lucas opened the door to the apartment he now shared with Brooke and threw his coat, gloves and scarf on to the coat rack. He shut the door behind him, letting the warmth of the apartment wrap around his freezing body. He heard music coming from the kitchen and followed the sound, finding Brooke at the counter chopping some potatoes, her hips swaying to the music. Her head bobbed up and down as she sang along with the song that was blaring from the sound system in the living room. She turned around, realizing that she'd forgotten the carrots in the fridge and dropped the potato she had in her hand when she saw Lucas in the doorway.

"Jesus fucking Christ Lucas! You scared the living shit out of me." He simply laughed. Brooke and Henley had moved in almost a week ago and as of yesterday they had officially unpacked everything.

"What's for dinner?" Lucas walked up to the counter, examining everything Brooke had laid out. He heard a muffled 'meat loaf' come from the fridge and turned to see Brooke with a bag of baby carrots in her hand, one of the small orange sticks poking out between her lips. "Yum. Where's Henley?" he asked, grabbing one of the carrots from the bag and popping it into his mouth.

"In her room. She's in one of her 'broody' moods. What our four year old has to brood about I'll never know," Brooke replied once she'd finished eating her carrot. "I've been meaning to talk to you about rent and everything."

"Rent? Why would you be paying rent?" Lucas asked as he walked into the living room, turning down the radio.

"I feel bad for mooching off of you!"

"Brooke, you're not mooching! You do all the laundry. You make breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you keep the apartment clean. That's more than enough." Sometimes Brooke really confused him. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't accept that he wanted to do things for her without getting anything in return.

"If you won't let me pay rent then I'm at least buying the groceries. I'm perfectly capable for paying for them." He sighed and nodded, knowing that Brooke wouldn't back down unless she paid for something that benefited the three residents.

It was silent between the two for a while, Lucas settling himself on a stool at the counter while Brooke continued to cook. Brooke might as well be considered a world renowned chef compared to how she used to cook in high school. He'd grown quite fond of her cooking and would always sneak a bite of the leftovers before he went to bed.

"Um, I have to work tonight." It was still a touchy subject between the two of them that it was rarely brought up and when it was it was only spoke of in whispers. "I got called in to do a party so I probably won't be back before twelve."

He wanted to say something to show the extent of his disgust, but he couldn't. Because if he did they'd only get into an argument and things had been decent between them ever since he came back from Tree Hill. "Are you going to leave before Nathan and Haley come to town?" He tried to ask the question as if they were talking about her leaving to do anything else but strip.

She slid the pan of meat into the oven and shut her eyes tight when she closed the oven door, her hand gripping the handle. She'd almost forgotten that they were driving in tonight. She nodded. "And what is it you're going to say you do?" Before she can even think of an answer, because she honestly hadn't even come up with that lie, their daughter entered the room with a pair of sunglasses parched on top of her head.

Even in winter and inside the house Henley always wore sunglasses. The obsession had started a few months back and Brooke never quite understood it. Yet she didn't object because quite frankly Henley looked absolutely adorable in her pink plastic framed glasses.

"After a long time of thinking I figured out what I want for my birthday tomorrow." Both Brooke and Lucas had already done their shopping, as a matter of fact all Brooke's Christmas shopping was done too. Still, both parents asked her what else she wanted. "I want a puppy."

"Is that what you've been thinking about for the past hour?" Brooke asked. Henley nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. Only Lucas's daughter could brood over something as small as a dog. "Honey I don't know." Henley's eyes narrowed and she turned with a huff, walking over to her daddy. "Please?" she asked her father with wide eyes and a pout that Lucas could never say no to. It was the same pout Brooke had.

He lifted the small girl on to his lap, whispering a 'Maybe' when Brooke wasn't looking.

* * *

Brooke stood in the bathroom, fixing her make up one last time. Her hair was already curled and her outfit already on. She bit her lip nervously as she slipped on her coat. She let out a deep breath before opening the bathroom door as she checked to make sure her coat was closed securely. "Don't you think you'll be cold?"

She brushed off his question, unsure of what he really meant by it. She leaned over the couch and kissed Henley. "Love you Henley," she murmured to her half asleep daughter. She glanced at Lucas once more and he just seemed to be staring at her. In his mind he was willing her not to go, that maybe it'd finally hit her what she was doing. But it didn't and she left anyway.

She pulled up to the hotel and left her keys with the valet service. She felt cheap as she walked through the sea of upper-class people. She made it to the hotel room in record speed, anything to get away from the stares she had been receiving in the lobby and elevator. It was like they could just tell she was a stripper, like she was this dirty, tainted thing.

The man who answered the door had to have been in his mid-to-late fifties. He wore a black business suit, a Rolex on his wrist and a band of gold on his ring finger. He had a glass of some sort of alcohol in his hand- scotch Brooke assumed. "You must be our entertainment." His words were slightly slurred and Brooke couldn't help but wonder just how drunk everyone would get that night. Alcohol always made everyone extra grabby, something that never settled well with her. At least at the club there were guards, but at parties she was on her own.

She plastered a flirty smile on her face, bringing her had up to his tie and lowering his head closer to hers. She got her lips dangerously close to his now realizing he'd been drinking whiskey not scotch. "Love your tie," she whispered breathlessly before sliding past him into the room.

If there was one thing Brooke Davis was an expert at it was being a tease. The man turned around to follow her, trying to grab her ass but was too far behind her to do so. The notion didn't go unnoticed by Brooke through, who had already started undoing her coat. _'Great, looks like tonight is going to be a little too hands on.'_

* * *

"For the last time Haley, _yes_ we have enough room for you guys here," Lucas said as he held a suitcase in one hand and Henley in the other. Haley spent all the time it took them to get upstairs explaining to Lucas that they could easily get a hotel room. Nathan stayed out of the conversation and instead talked with his niece and children.

"Are you-" Haley stopped when she felt Nathan's hand on her shoulder.

"Haley, we're already here. There's enough room, our kids have someone else to play with. We are staying here." He loved Haley, but sometimes she just didn't know when to let go. Especially with her being so far along, she just needed to sit down and rest. Even though her back is facing him he knew she rolled her eyes. "Where's Brooke?"

"Work." The answer was short and simple and he prayed in his head that just for once Haley wouldn't ask questions. He turned to look at his very pregnant best friend to find her yawning and nodding her head.

"Nathan, we should put the kids down." He nodded in agreement and the three adults went into the room that now belonged to Henley and settled the children in their beds, putting a movie on for Henley and Madison who were still slightly awake.

"So," Haley started after a few minutes of silence. Nathan had gone to bed a half an hour ago and now she and Lucas were watching TV in the living room. "How are things with you and Brooke?"

He sighed tiredly and began to rub the back of his neck. He shrugged because he honestly didn't know how they were. They both seemed happy but there were still so many things they had wrong between them. "We're... okay I guess."

"Have you tried talking to her about what happened?" Haley asked as she subconsciously rubbed her hand on her belly.

"Not really. Every time I try and bring it up she changes the subject or makes up an excuse to get out of the room." In the week that they'd been living together he'd tried 4 times. The first time she brushed it off immediately as expected. The second and third time she did the same thing and he was getting to the point where he wanted to just say 'I love you' to her as soon as she walked into the room.

_"Brooke, we need to talk about it." As soon as the words left his mouth she turned around and started walking out of the room._

_"Can't, have to take a shower."_

_He rushed over and stood in front of her, stopping her from walking further. "You just got out of the shower Brooke." She stood there in her cotton robe still dripping slightly. _'God she is such a tease,'_ he thought, taking in the sight of her. It really was unfair of her to walk around in a robe or in some cases a towel and expect him not to pin her up against a wall or throw her down on the couch and take her right then and there._

_"I still have conditioner in my hair." She tried to walk around him once more but it was pointless. "What do you want from me Lucas?" Her shoulders slumped and it was almost like she was pleading for him to just leave her alone._

_"We need to talk about it Brooke."_

_"_No_ we don't! Do not make me move back out of here Lucas. Just leave it alone okay?" She moved in with him because she knew she needed to do some reckon after she got his hopes up so high. It benefited the both of them and it had come to work out but he just couldn't leave it alone. He just didn't understand that she couldn't talk about it. She was never any good at talking about things like that and when it came to Lucas the situation got even messier. It was best to just avoid the conversation completely._

He hadn't talked to her about it since then and it had been smooth sailing between them. "Brooke's stubborn you know that. Just corner her and force her to talk about it." He rolled his eyes at the suggestion. Haley knew as well as he did that that would never happen.

* * *

"And how are you doing gorgeous?" Brooke asked whilst sitting down on another man, this one relatively sober. She'd been topless for the past hour, making her way around the room of men, paying special attention to each one of them. She knew these mean were wealthy and so far she'd made a pretty good hall.

"Much better now," he purred, staring not at her face but at her chest. His hands found their way to her hips where they stayed, his thumbs rubbing her skin. Her hands rested on his shoulders, slowly giving him a massage.

"So, what are all you guys doing here tonight?" It wasn't a bachelor party that much Brooke knew.

"Late night business meeting," he replied with a small grin, obviously proud of himself for fooling his wife. Even though this guy was one of the sober ones he also proved to be a pig.

She worked him for a few more minutes before sliding off his lap with a twenty in the string of her thong, making her way over to the bar in the corner of the room. She quickly grabbed the open bottle of vodka and took a quick shot. She still had another hour to go and she'd need a bit of liquid courage to get her through it.

She felt a hand on the small of her back and then slide down to her ass, looping his finger underneath the side of her thong, pulling it away from her body slightly. "I knew I'd seen you before." Brooke stood up straight and turned to see Jeff staring back at her.

"I see you every Sunday, of course you've seen me before," she responded with a smile, casually grabbing his hand and moving it off of her body.

"I'm not stupid _Brooke_," he whispered in her ear and the smile that had remained on her face the whole night fell a little. "Who would have though Lucas Scott would date a stripper?"

She looked around the room and noticed most of them men were talking, or for some, passed out, so she grabbed Jeff's arm and pulled him into the bedroom. "Listen to me," she said harshly once the door closed behind her, the smile now no where to be seen on her face. "If you fuck this thing up for Lucas just because I do this for a living I swear to God I will make your life a living hell."

He smirked, obviously un-threatened. "I don't think you have that kind of power. After all, whose going to believe some cheap stripper."

"Do you love your wife? What about you kids? Think they'll get a kick out of finding out Daddy's a sleaze?" He laughed and moved closer to her, throwing his now empty cup on t the bed where it bounced slightly. She looked at him suspiciously, unsure of what he was about to do. Suddenly her wrists are in his hand and she's pinned against a wall.

"You know, you're very good at what you do Brooke." He pressed his body up against hers and she looked at him with disgust. "I could keep quiet about this... if you do something for me." His hand found its way to her breast and she doesn't hesitate to spit in his face. He takes a step back, shocked at her action. His hands squeeze her wrists tighter to the point where she actually felt pain and he whipped the spit off of her face.

"I'm not a whore," Brooke said through gritted teeth and his free hand is now on her thigh, squeezing her hard.

"I never said I was paying you," was all that left his mouth before he attached his lips to hers. She tried shoving him off, but his grip on her wrists got tighter than she though possible. Her mouth was shut tight and just as his hand left her thigh, she brought her leg up and kicked him off. She'd never been so glad she'd worn four inch heels in her life.

She had just reached the door when she felt his hand pull her back.

* * *

Lucas lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. His mind was filled with thoughts of Brooke and whatever they had come to be. They weren't together yet there was still this... spark between them that he wasn't sure how to describe. Despite some of the choices she had made in the past five years he still loved her, probably even more now than he had in high school.

He looked over at his bedroom door to find Brooke coming through it her arms crossed underneath her chest tightly. "Brooke?"

She turned to look at him in the dark and had to wait a minute before answering him so that he wouldn't figure out she'd been crying. "Did I wake you?" Her voice was soft and low and calm but, Lucas still knew something was wrong. He shook his head and even though the room was almost completely dark, she knew that she hadn't.

She cursed herself in her head when she realized that she hadn't brought a pair of her pajamas into Lucas' room before she left. She sighed, walking over to Lucas' dresser and pulling out an over sized t-shirt. She took of her jacket and the two barely there things she had on underneath it before sliding into the shirt that smelled like him. "What's wrong?"

She cleared her throat and whipped her cheeks before getting into the bed next to him. "I'm fine." She kept her back towards him, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. She felt him lean away and then get off the bed and she let out a silent sigh of relief, thinking he was getting up to go to the bathroom. But she didn't hear the light flick on and instead felt his hand on her arm, his breath on her face.

His hand moved up to her face, feeling the wet trails on her cheeks. "What happened?" She shook her head and he knew not to push it. He got off his knees and sat down on the edge of the bed, not sure what to do. He didn't want to ask if she was okay, he already knew she wasn't. She sat up once he settled himself on the bed.

She leaned her head into his chest, breathing in the scent that she was now completely enveloped in. "I'm sorry," she whispered through her tears and he isn't quite sure what she's apologizing for. Still, he didn't ask and instead rubbed her back soothingly, kissing the top of her head.


	18. Here Comes A Regular

Brooke found herself waking up wrapped in Lucas's arms. She glanced at the clock on his bedside table and noticed that it was just a little past 4:30. She breathed in his smell before unwrapping herself from Lucas and walking over to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and turned on the shower, making sure it was a little hotter than usual. She took off the oversized T-shirt and studied the marks on her body in the mirror.

There were light bruises on her upper arms that she'd probably obtained when he pushed her against the wall for the second time. There were scratch marks on her thighs and an already well developed bruise on her left breast. Her wrists were red and there was a possibility that they'd bruise too.

_"You're a cheap whore!"_

She shut her eyes tight as the words replayed in her head. It seemed like obscenities were the only thing he screamed at her that night and then what he made her do...

She shook her head, confused as to why those thoughts were reentering her head. But she knew why. It was the same thing Jeff had screamed at her last night. She was beginning to think that maybe there was truth in the words that both the sleaze and Lucas spoke. Maybe she really was just a cheap whore.

* * *

Lucas woke up to an empty bed, the sheets cold beside him. Last night was sort of a blur, the only thing he really remembered was laying back down with Brooke in his arms. He sat up slowly and rubbed his head and made his way into the living room sleepily. Everything was quiet and still but the smell of pancakes and...potatoes filled the air. Curious at the combination he entered the kitchen to find Brooke staring into her cup of coffee.

Her wet hair was piled on the top of her head messily. She wore a pair of his basketball shorts and his gray hoodie, her body practically consumed in the larger clothing. She let out a sigh before glancing up, a little surprised at finding Lucas in the door way. She offered him a small smile before taking a sip of her coffee, going back to the stove that had pots or pans on every burner.

He could tell by the small forced smile that he woke up in Brooke Davis's Denial World. She'd done this for as long as he had known her and it was probably one of the only things he really hated about her. He glanced at the clock before getting a mug down from the cupboard and filling it with coffee. "What's with the potatoes?"

"Half are for breakfast and half are for lunch. Henley loves fried potatoes and potato salad so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone." He nodded and for the next twenty minutes they sat in silence. Just as he finished his coffee, a full plate of food was placed in front of him and he smiled up at Brooke in thanks.

He took in a deep breath, deciding to take Haley's advice. "Brooke."

"It smells heavenly in here," Haley said blissfully, padding her way into the kitchen, a hand resting on her stomach. Brooke gave her the plate she had in her hand, piled high with food and Haley walked over to the dining room, practically drooling over the food on the way there. Brooke let out a sigh of relief. Had Haley not walked in then she would have had to face another awkward conversation with Lucas.

Silence filled the apartment again, the only sound coming from Brooke as she continued to make more food for the people that were still asleep. A few minutes later, Brooke's trained ears heard the sound of her daughter's footsteps coming towards the living room quickly. "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"

"Henley sh! People are still sleeping," Brooke instructed as she walked out of the kitchen, an arm behind her back.

"Sorry mommy, I'm just so excited," Henley said in a loud whisper, trying to peer behind Brooke's back. "What do you have?" Brooke smiled and showed her daughter the plate of chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream, eggs, fried potatoes, and bacon. Henley's eyes got wide. Her mother usually made her breakfast, but she always pulled out all the stops when it was her birthday. "Yes!" Henley took the plate and marched over to the table, plopping down next to Haley.

Brooke smiled and walked back into the kitchen, picking up Lucas's now empty plate off of the counter in front of him. "And so begins Hour One of Henley's birthday," Brooke said with a light chuckle.

"So what exactly are we doing today?" Lucas asked as he walked around the counter, helping Brooke with the dishes.

"Well, I figured we'd hang out here until lunch, just lay low. After Henley's big lunch I thought we could go walking around town, maybe go see some of the sites and stop by the ice rink?"

"Sounds good. We're doing cake and presents at lunch right?" he asked, grabbing a plate from Brooke and drying it off.

Brooke nodded before slamming the pan back down in the sink. "Crap! I forgot about the cake!" Lucas tossed the towel that was in his hands down on the counter and moved behind Brooke, rubbing her shoulders gently. "I meant to order it a week ago."

"It's fine okay? I have to go pick up one of Henley's presents anyway. I'll pick up a cake on the way back," Lucas reassured her. Brooke closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before nodding.

* * *

Henley sat on the couch surrounded by ripped wrapping paper and bows. To her left there were piles of clothes that had been perfectly folded in the boxes but were now thrown to the side. On her right there were more clothes, only these were for dress up, boxes full of Barbies and a few books. "This one came in the mail today. It's from Peyton," Brooke said, handing her daughter the heavy present wrapped in shiny red paper.

Henley plucked the bow off of the top of the present and added it to the collection of bows on her arms. She then tore off the paper and gasped when she saw her present. She ran her hand over the wooden case before lifting up the metal latches. She opened the lid to reveal rows of markers, crayons, colored pencils, paints and things that looked like ever more crayons. "Wow," was the only thing Henley could say as she ran her small hand along everything.

"You're going to have to give Peyton a BIG hug for your present huh?" Brooke asked almost teasingly. All Henley could do was nod, still mesmerized by the contents of the wooden case. "Alright one more present from me and daddy." Brooke glanced to Lucas who was sitting on the arm of the couch next to Brooke. He nodded and got up, going into his bedroom and shutting the door.

Brooke caught Haley's eye and she gave her a confused look and Brooke simply shrugged, a smile on her face. "Okay," Brooke said, handing Henley the last wrapped box. It was of modest size and Henley inspected it closely before tearing off the paper. She opened the box to find a blue leash, two small bowls, a collar and a book on how to take care of a puppy.

Henley's eyes got wide once more and looked up at her mom. "Since you're still pretty little we thought that we'd give you this now. You can read the book and if next year you prove to be responsible, we'll get you a puppy." Henley's face dropped, her bottom lip poking out, a pout now on her face. Then Lucas's bedroom door opened and Henley looked up to see a small puppy in her father's arms.

"Ohmigosh," Henley exclaimed, tossing the box off her lap and running over to the puppy.

Lucas kneeled down to his daughter's level and kissed her forehead before holding the puppy out. "Happy birthday," he whispered to her as she gently petted the dog. Brooke walked up next to Henley, getting down on her knees too. She rubbed her daughter's back as she watched her pet the puppy, looking at his hair closely.

"Thank you." She threw her arms around Brooke's neck, hugging her tightly and placing a big kiss on her mother's cheek before doing the same with Lucas. "Is it a boy of a girl?"

"Boy."

"Does he have a name?"

"His name is Buddy sweetheart. Do you like that name?" Brooke asked carefully, not sure how her daughter would react. Half the fun of getting a puppy was naming it and they'd done that before they'd showed him to Henley.

The little girl thought for a moment before smiling and nodding. "It's perfect because he's going to be my little buddy." Her parents let out a sigh of relief. "Can I hold him?" Brooke and Lucas exchanged looks before Lucas finally nodded.

"But you have to be _really_ careful with him okay? If you think you might drop him, tell someone okay?" Henley nodded before out stretching her arms. Lucas carefully set the puppy in her arms and watched as she walked back to the couch.

"You two are something you know that," Haley said with a laugh as she walked up to the two with Nathan while the kids gathered around Henley and the puppy.

"I was ready to get her a puppy when you told her there wasn't one," Nathan added. They shared a laugh and looked over at their children on the other side of the room.

Brooke sighed happily and wrapped her arm around Lucas's waist, leaning into him. "She looks so happy." Lucas wrapped his arms around her shoulders and began rubbing her arm softly. "I'm glad you convinced me to let her have a dog." With one more sigh Brooke pulled away from Lucas. "I'm going to go put the food away."

"Talk to her," Haley whispered once Brooke was in the kitchen. Nathan shook his head and walked away. It wasn't Haley's place to decide when Lucas and Brooke worked out their feelings and she should just leave it alone. But his wife pushed Lucas, literally and figuratively, to go and talk to Brooke.

"I came to help." Brooke looked up, brushing a strand of her hair that fell into her face behind her ear. She nodded, a smile on her face as she finished scooping the leftover potato salad into a container. They worked together silently until all the food was put away. "Brooke?"

"Yeah?" She turned around to look at him, a small smile still on her face.

"What happened last night?" He held his breath after he said it, not quite sure how she'd respond. This morning she didn't bring it up and he knew that she didn't want to talk about it. But with the way she came into his bedroom he needed to know why she was crying and why she had flinched a little when he touched her.

"I need to take a shower," she said quietly after a minute of silence. She threw the towel she had in her hands on the counter and left the kitchen, making her way to her bedroom. Instead of being the Lucas Scott that always watched her walk away he followed her with a sense of determination.

He only paused when he got outside her door, not sure if he should just barge right in. "Fuck it," he mumbled before turning the knob. He opened the door to see Brooke sitting on her bed, her now bare shoulders dropping with each sob. He made his way into the room, shutting the door behind him and making his way over to the brunette. Then he saw the bruises.

"Who did that to you?" he asked, hoping that maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"It's fine Lucas," Brooke said, her voice cracked with tears. She reached for her robe that she had thrown at the end of her bed, but he stopped her. He put his hand on hers and that's when he noticed the red mark on her wrist.

"_Who_ did that to you?" He took his hand off hers and moved it to the bruise on her arm, outlining it softly.

"He's a nobody." Now both his hands were where her bruises were, softly touching them as he inspected them.

"Is this it?" She shook her head and bit her lip as she felt her eyes fill with tears once more. "Where else?" She took a deep breath and released it before she stood up, turning to face him. His eyes found the darkest bruise first, the one that laid on her breast and she noticed that his fists clenched.

His eyes moved off the bruise and he studied the rest of her body, looking for any markings that he knew weren't there before. Slowly her hands moved to her jeans and she unbuttoned and unzipped them. "Brooke." He didn't want her to feel like she had to do this. If she didn't want him seeing then he wouldn't because at that moment in time he just wanted her to feel better. But she just shook her head and pushed down her jeans, wincing a little when they moved against the scratches.

Out of instinct he lifted his hand wanting to outline the red streaks like he had done with the bruises on her arms. But he wouldn't, couldn't touch her. "Did he..." He couldn't form the words. He was quick to think the worst because then the reality would be better. The marks on her body though... he didn't think the reality would be better. "He didn't..." He couldn't say it.

He took his eyes off of her scratches and placed them on hers. She shook her head slowly and he let out a sigh of relief. He stood up and pulled her into a hug hesitantly. She immediately relaxed into him, her head finding it's place against his chest.

* * *

"Can she skate?" Haley asked as she rested her legs on the chair across from her. They had gone to the ice rink at Henley's request and now everyone except Lucas and Haley were putting on their skates. She watched as Henley laced up her skates once they were on her feet, amazed at how quickly the little girl managed to get them up.

"Of course she can! I put her into lessons when she was 3," Brooke said while rolling her eyes. When Brooke was little her mother had thrown her into dance classes and it was probably the only good thing Mrs. Davis did for her. So when Henley was three Brooke signed her up for lessons, telling her that if she hated it she could drop out. But Henley loved it and she'd been doing it ever since.

"Momma, I need you to tie these," Henley said as she stood up and wobbled over to where Brooke was sitting. She plopped down in front of her, lifting her leg up so her mother could tie the strings. "Remember they have to be tight."

"I know Henley. I've been tying them tight for you for a while now," Brooke said with a smile. "Alright there you go. I'll be out there with you in a sec." She expected Henley to wobble off but instead she stood in front of her. "What is it?"

"Can Buddy go skating with me?"

"No he can't. Dogs aren't aloud to go on the ice and Buddy is still really little and can't handle the cold well. That's why Daddy's keeping him in his jacket." Both Henley and Brooke glanced back at Lucas who was looking down at the dog that was zipped in his jacket.

With a sigh Henley turned towards the ice. "Fine." Brooke shook her head and went back to lacing up her skates.

"Hey Brooke? What made you name her Henley?" Brooke turned to Haley who was rubbing her belly. "It's a nice name but it just doesn't seem like a name you'd name your daughter."

Brooke laughed softly before turning around so she was facing Haley. "I got the idea from him," Brooke said, pointing to Lucas. "He used to repeat that damn poem by William Henley to me when we were dating in high school. I guess the name just kinda stuck with me."

Haley smiled and shook her head. "Who would've thought you'd name your kid after a poet." Her face contorted a bit and Brooke sat up straight.

"Haley are you okay?"

She let out a deep breath and smiled, nodding her head. "I'm fine. I'm going to go to the bathroom."

Brooke nodded, though she wasn't convinced Haley was fine. "Well I'm going on to the ice." She turned around and then sat back down. Over at the hot chocolate stand stood Jeff.

"Brooke? Is everything okay?" Brooke sat there, motionless, staring at the man. "Brooke what is it?" She turned away from the stand hoping that he wouldn't see her. She shut her eyes tight and began taking deep breaths. "Hey Jeff."

'_Stupid _Stupid_ Lucas!_' Brooke thought as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hello Lucas. Brooke." He squeezed her shoulder lightly and she was pretty sure she flinched. "What are you two doing here?"

"It's our daughter's birthday." Lucas looked in between the two, unsure of what was going on.

"I'm going to go check on Haley," Brooke mumbled before she walked away.

"Um, excuse me." Lucas got up quickly and ran after Brooke. "Brooke! What's wrong?" He looked down at her and noticed she was biting her lip and there were tears in her eyes. She leaned against the wall and tried to take deep breaths in order to keep the tears back.

"It was him." Her voice was low and quiet so that Lucas barely heard her with all the noise surrounding them. And just as he was about to turn around to go have a chat with Jeff he heard Haley.

"My water just broke."

I suck big time I know! My beta had this for a while and I've been busy(school ugh) so I sincerly apologize about this taking a while! I was torn as to what went on in the hotel room but eventually just decided to go with my original plan. I hope the BL scene with them talking about the marks was written well, that was a big part of the chapter lol. Also the scene where Henley gets her puppy happened to me and my sisters one christmas and though that BL would do something like that to their own kid lol. The whole thing about how Brooke go Henley's name seemed kinda cute to me. I thought it was fitting since Lucas quoted the poem and since I had already named Henley Henley I should throw that in. Alright so there's one more chapter and then the eplogue! So sad that it's ending soon lol. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	19. The Sound of Settling

Thank you all for the reviews! Wow, second to last chapter... it's so sad lol. Big thanks to Lynn since she helped me a lot with this chapter! Another huge thanks to my beta Miranda who is just plain awesome! Um, big things in this chapter and I hope y'all enjoy them! Bit nervous about the chapter but I think it's good and hopefully uou all will too. Enjoy!

Suddenly it was a blur of people. Brooke was left alone against the wall and Lucas was making his way over to the stand of hot drinks. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Haley clutching her belly and the wet spot on Haley's jeans was clearly visible. Brooke glanced back at Lucas and she heard him yell. "You son of a bitch!"

Nathan hadn't realized what was going on, which was why he was still on the ice with the kids and Brooke realized she couldn't help both at once. "Nathan!" She was already making her way over to Haley and she expected Nathan to look for her first and see that his wife was in labor. But instead his eyes went to Lucas and Jeff and he made his way over to the two fighting men to try and break up the fight.

"Lucas!" Nathan pulled him back, leaving Jeff leaning against one of the small iron tables. "What the hell are you doing man?"

Lucas shook his head, spitting blood before turning to look back at Jeff. "You don't know what he did." Nathan looked at him utterly confused, not sure what Lucas meant.

"I didn't do shit," Jeff shouted from behind Nathan. "She was just doing her job." With that a devious grin found its way on to Jeff's face and Lucas pushed Nathan aside.

"That's not her fucking job and you know it!"

Haley let out a low groan and Brooke didn't know what to do. She helped Haley to the nearest chair and in the pained state she was in, Haley just screamed, "What are you dumbasses doing?"

Lucas pushed Jeff down and now he was on top of Jeff throwing punches repeatedly. Upon hearing Haley's voice Nathan finally figured out she was in labor and rushed over to her. "Oh my god Haley. Are you okay?"

"I'm in labor Nathan. I am just _peachy_," Haley growled sarcastically.

"Great, so do you think you can just wait 5 minutes so I can get Lucas off of that guy?"

Haley stared at him blankly and Brooke wondered if she should back away before Haley's wrath was unleashed. "Nathan," Haley said in a calm low voice. "My water just broke. I am about to push out another child for **you**. This will be the **third** time I've done this for you. You are going to get me to a hospital **_now_** or I will take a golf club to your balls."

Nathan gulped and glanced at Brooke who shifted uncomfortably. "Go to the hospital. Tell the cabby to take you to the nearest one. We'll take the kids home." Nathan glanced back at his brother and then looked back at Brooke. "I'll get him."

"Are you sure?" Nathan asked while helping Haley up.

Brooke nodded and went over to Lucas and Jeff who had gotten off of the ground. Punches were thrown back and forth and once again Lucas got the upper hand. He went to go punch Jeff again when Brooke stepped in. "Lucas! Stop it!"

He was breathing heavy and he knew his lip was bleeding. He wouldn't take his eyes off of Jeff who was kneeling over, in far worse shape than Lucas. Flashes of Brooke's bruises played in his mind and his fists clenched again and he took a step forward. "Lucas." His name came out like a plea and he finally looked down at her when he felt her small hands on his arms. The look in her eyes is enough to make him want to stop. "He's not worth it Luke."

"How can you say that?" He hadn't realized it then, but along with his anger, tears somehow formed in his eyes and he was pretty sure he was shaking with anger. "After what he _did_ to you?" His eyes went back to Jeff and he was about to put Brooke aside and finish Jeff off when he heard another smaller voice.

"Daddy?" He turned to look at Henley who was standing just outside the rink, the small puppy in her arms. His nephew and niece were behind her and it suddenly registered that Nathan and Haley were gone.

He relaxed his body completely and Brooke realized he was done. "Come on. We got to get the kids home." He nodded and they walked over to the group of kids, their hands lacing with one another's. Their gaze was cast down, trying to avoid the questionable eyes of the crowd that had surrounded the three of them.

Jeff scoffed when they walked by and Lucas stopped. Brooke looked at him hesitantly and he squeezed her hand to let her know he wasn't going to do anything. Shoving his hands in his pockets Lucas walked up to him. "You so much as _look_ at her again and I promise you I'll go to jail for your murder." It took all of Lucas's strength to not grab Jeff by his collar and shake him as he said that.

"You'll be lucky if you ever get a book published Scott," Jeff called once they had reached the kids. Lucas turned around to look at him and shook his head. He honestly didn't care. Sure there had been a lot of work and it took him a few years to get it to a publisher, but what Jeff had done to Brooke was unacceptable. And as long as Brooke was okay Lucas was happy.

* * *

The kids were in Henley's room coloring and playing with the puppy while Brooke and Lucas were alone in the kitchen. Brooke was searching around in the freezer and did a little cheer when she found a bag of frozen peas that had obviously been forgotten about. She turned back to Lucas who was wiping the dried blood off of his lip. "Here." She turned him to face her and placed the cold bag against his cheek.

She leaned against the counter, her arms wrapped underneath her chest. With a sigh she shook her head. "You shouldn't have done that Luke."

"What did you expect me to do?" Though his bruised cheek still hurt, he tossed the bag of frozen peas into the sink. "_Nobody_ touches you like that."

She practically shrunk in front of him. She knew that making her feel guilty wasn't his intention, but she couldn't help it. She'd always been a strong independent girl who didn't take anyone's shit yet she ended up being a victim of one of the worst crimes. She looked down, twiddling her fingers. "You completely ruined your book deal Lucas."

He sighed angrily. "I don't fucking care about the book! All I care about is _you_! Jeff deserved what he got and who cares if I won't get my book published? The point is that Jeff feels like I know you feel!" He took a step towards her, standing straight and looked her straight in the eye. "You didn't deserve _that_."

She stayed quiet then. He was breaking her more and more and she wasn't sure how to respond. He was the one person she could let her guard down completely for but just for single moments of time. It made her uncomfortable being so emotionally naked in front of him. The last time that had happened she'd gotten her heart ripped out and he had broken her with just six words.

_I'm not the guy for you._

She hated that it still all boiled back down to that moment. That was some petty high school moment. She was twenty-two and a mother, her insecurities shouldn't revolve around what some boy told her one night during her senior year.

But her whole life **did** revolve around that one boy and the words he'd spoken to her during their senior year. Had he not held out his hand the night of prom, her life wouldn't be like this at all. Henley wouldn't be here, she wouldn't be a stripper and she sure as hell wouldn't be living with Lucas.

The more she analyzed, the more she realized Lucas wasn't just _some_ boy. He was _the_ boy. And that somehow scared her even more. She wasn't going to lie and say that she had fantasized about some great life they could have over the years.

Back when it was just her and Henley, she only had enough energy to worry about Henley and the bills and to get through each day. The only time she'd really thought about Lucas was when she was looking at Henley and wondering if she was an adequate mother. That's when she'd think about calling him and just telling him about Henley. She'd never wanted to call him for herself.

She had gotten herself to believe that she didn't love him. But then they were at the wedding and he gave her that smile that she'd never seen him give anyone else, that smile that was reserved just for her, and it made her knees weak. _Some_ boy wouldn't have that effect on her. _Some_ boy couldn't waltz back into her life so easily and make her feel like she'd just realized she loved him.

Lucas could though. Lucas had this hold over her and it caused her to always feel inferior to him. She'd never felt worthy enough to have him. She was dirty, he was still good. He saw something in her though, something worth having and for the life of her she couldn't understand how. "How can you love me?" The words didn't come out louder than a whisper but she knew he had heard her. "I'm nothing special. I'm tainted."

He couldn't believe that they were back to this. It seemed like all they did was go in circles. "What do you want me to say? I fucking **HATE** what you do. When I saw you that night it made me sick to my stomach and I _know_ you are better than that! But that is no reason for me not to love you! And I do Brooke! I love you so fucking much it hurts!"

He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders gently. She flinched even though she knew he would never hurt her. "Do you love me?" Her mouth dropped slightly as if she were shocked by the question.

She stuttered, not forming a real word before she took her eyes off of his and placed them on his shirt. She noticed there was a bit of blood on it, standing out against the cream colored shirt. "That's going to stain," she mumbled out and she tried to walk past him.

He kept his hold on her and rooted her in her spot. "Just tell me you love me." He was pleading with her now. He just needed to hear it, to know that those feelings were still there. That when she smiled at him and she got that brightness in her eyes that it was because she loved him, not for something else.

She stood in front of him, her eyes now closed. She couldn't say it, not yet. She stood in front of him silently and prayed for an interruption, any interruption. "Uncle Luke?" She let out a sigh, expecting Lucas to turn around and look at Michael. But he stayed looking at her, holding her.

"Yeah?"

"We need you to put in another movie."

Lucas sighed then and looked at Brooke once more before following Michael into the room. Brooke stayed against the counter, taking deep breaths in order to try and calm herself. It all suddenly felt like too much and she knew she had to get out of there. She couldn't answer Lucas until she got the hell out of that apartment.

She slid on her coat and had her wallet and keys in her hands when Lucas reentered the room. Her free hand was on the knob and she was about to open the door when she heard him say, "You said you wouldn't leave." It brought them back to the night in Tree Hill when she allowed herself to be so open with him.

She turned around to look at him. His shoulders were slumped and he looked so tired and drained. She was putting him through all this crap and it was taking its toll on him. He said he loved her, but she really wondered how long he'd do this. How long he'd keep fighting for her. This put a strain on him and knew that he couldn't keep doing this and more importantly she didn't want to keep putting him through it.

"_I love you_," he urged. And with that, she slipped out the door.

* * *

Every little detail seemed to stand out to her now. How the F in Centerfolds never lit up all the way. How there was a patch of carpet in the entry way that was different from all the rest. How the large gold door handle was broken at the bottom and how the door creaked when you opened it.

She stood at the entrance of the club, taking everything in because this was it. This was the last time she'd see it. Stacy, who she'd probably keep in contact with, was center stage working the pole just as Brooke had showed her. When she strutted down the stage Brooke caught her eye and winked at her. Brooke smiled before glancing around the club once again.

There were two girls behind the bar, both with minimal clothing and working fast to get the drink orders done. The club was crowded, filled with older men who were downing their drinks as fast as Stacy got undressed. There was a group of younger guys, around Brooke's age she guessed, who were getting lap dances in the corner of the club.

She shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and it hit her that this was the most clothing she'd probably ever worn into the club. Even on the day she had come in to ask for a job she'd worn a summer dress and now here she was bundled up from head to toe.

She made her way to the back, not going unnoticed by the men in the room. She was used to this though. Even before she became a stripper men always looked at her body and face. She was the pretty girl you stared at on the street. Before it made her feel good and now it made her feel dirty.

She slipped into the changing rooms and smiled briefly at the girls she'd never gotten to know. They stared at her blankly before turning their heads and reapplying their makeup. It was obvious that during her time at the strip club she'd developed enemies. Jerry had always made it known that she was the best and the other strippers got surprisingly jealous over that.

Brooke slumped down in front of her mirror and looked at all the crap that was on the vanity. She sighed and pulled the plastic bag out of her pocket and slid all the makeup into the bag. She opened the white wooden drawers, which she just noticed had begun chipping long ago, and took out the clothes she owned.

She was about to toss them all into the bag when she stopped. She looked through the thongs and bikini tops and pulled out the flame outfit she'd worn when Mouth came into the club that night so many months ago. The, she pulled out the corset and panties she'd owned since her senior year of high school. She shoved the two outfits into the bag along with some stockings and of course her garter belt.

She looked up into the mirror and saw Jerry and Stacy standing behind her. Stacy looked confused while Jerry looked like he always did. "Are you leaving?" It was Stacy who asked.

Brooke nodded. "Yeah," she replied quietly.

She looked up at Jerry wearily. He sighed. "It's about damn time." Both Stacy and Brooke looked at him, shocked. "You know you're too good for this Brooke. Everyone in this place is too good to be here. I'm just glad you've finally figured it out."

Brooke stood up and hugged Jerry tightly. "Thank you." She honestly thought it was going to be harder to quit.

"It's a shame that _he_ was the reason you figured it out though," Jerry whispered in her ear and for a few seconds, she thought he was talking about Lucas. But then she realized he knew about Jeff and what happened. "He really loves you ya know that?" After that she knew it was Lucas he was talking about.

"He called you?"

Jerry shrugged. "He called earlier today."

Brooke turned to Stacy who had tears in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you Bunny Perkins," she laughed and Brooke rolled her eyes before pulling the red head into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you too. We have to keep talking though. I think Henley would go crazy t she didn't see you."

"Oh!" Stacy pulled out of Brooke's arms and ran over to her vanity. "I almost forgot. I got Henley a present. It's not much, but I figure she can never have enough coloring books."

"She'll love it," Brooke said, taking the present from Stacy. She put it in the bag with all of her other crap and looked around the now empty room except for her, Jerry and Stacy. "I guess this is it."

This place had been such a big part of her life for the past couple years and it was almost hard to let it go. But this wasn't who she was and this wasn't someone she'd ever fully become. Bunny Perkins was dead.

* * *

She walked back into the apartment, finding the lights off and no one in sight. She turned on the first light switch her hand found and suddenly the room illuminated in front of her. There's a note on the table, stating that they went to the hospital and that Haley had the baby.

Once again she was out the door, making her way over to the hospital. She found the floor easily. It was the same floor she'd been on exactly five years ago. She pulled the small note out of her pocket and looked at the room number Lucas had scribbled on it. She looked up, walking towards room 630 when she stopped. Lucas stood in front of the nursery, looking down at the sea of blues and pinks.

She took a deep breath. Everything was in its place, everything was right. "I love you." He turned to look at her, surprised to see her there. "I'm sorry I left, but I couldn't tell you then. I couldn't tell you until I was the person I wanted to be. The person you deserve to be with."

He walked up to her then, his hands shoved into his pockets. He smiled faintly. "Brooke, I don't think I deserve you. Do you realize how far out of my league you are?"

She laughed lightly and before she knew it his hand was on the back of her neck. Their faces were close once more and when their faces were just inches apart he stopped and looked into her eyes, making sure that this was okay, that this was wanted.

She stood on her tip toes and slowly closed the finale gap between them. The kiss was simple and pure, just lips pressed against lips, both of them pouring themselves into it.

This was it.

Everything was right.


	20. City of Angels

Hello everyone! This kinda makes me sad. My very last update for City of Devils. :( This has been a long time coming( I suck I know) and I hope ya guys enjoy!

He looked out at the ocean, scanning the beach to see where Brooke had laid down the towels. Instead of finding the towels his eyes found her sitting at the edge of the water, the waves splashing into her lap. "Dad," Henley said breathlessly from behind him. He turned around to see his daughter carrying the ice chest and it was nearly falling out of her arms.

"I told you I'd get it." She shrugged and ran toward the spot where Brooke had chosen to set up camp. Lucas shook his head, a smile on his face. It was hard to believe that she was already 10. She was tall for her age, her long hair making it's way to the middle of her back. It'd gotten lighter as she gotten older. It now looked more blonde than brown. Her curls had straightened, her locks only slightly wavy now. Her blue eyes remained bright and full of life and her dimples were still as cute as before.

She hadn't changed much from the bubbly four year old she had been when he'd first met her, still staying for the most part girlie. She'd gone through a tomboy phase though, something he was glad had passed. During that time she'd taken up basketball, proving that every Scott born had the gift for the game. Eventually she got bored, going back to ballet and ice skating which both he and Brooke had been thankful for. The two activities wouldn't put a strain on her, making sure that there would be no HCM induced heart attack for her.

Looking back at the water, his eyes found the two girls sitting side by side wearing matching dimpled smiles. They both laughed when a wave crashed into them and he couldn't believe how absolutely beautiful they both look.

As he walked up to them, their laughter growing louder with each wave, he was suddenly glad Brooke suggested they go to the beach instead of just sitting around at home watching ESPN. "Daddy!" He looked down into Brooke's lap to see his green eyed son staring up at him, his own pair of dimples on his cheeks.

Davis Keith Scott was born almost three years ago, entering the world one week early. He was almost the complete opposite of Henley. Bright blonde hair and green eyes, he held more of Lucas's features than Brooke's except for those wonderful dimples. While Henley had been a pretty loud three year old, Davis kept to himself, only allowing himself to become upbeat and loud when he was with family.

Another wave came, splashing Davis in the chest, causing him to laugh uncontrollably as the force of the wave pushed him back against Brooke. "You are such a silly boy." Brooke laughed as she sat Davis back up, straightening the blue hat that protected his head from the sun.

Lucas plopped down next to Brooke, taking Davis out of her lap and placing him onto his. She looked over at him and smiled. His hair was buzzed, his skin already tan. His blue eyes seemed so much darker now as opposed to when they were younger. Instead of reminding her of the sky, they now remind her of the ocean and she honestly believed she could stare into them forever.

After James was born, things has really gotten good for them. They took things slow in the beginning, as slow as they could even though they were living together. It had been so familiar, yet so new at the same time. She'd get giddy when he'd hold her hand and she's melt every time he'd read to Henley.

After three years they began tossing around the idea of marriage. They were comfortable and it seemed like the next step. Then when Brooke found out she was pregnant, they decided to just go for it. They got married in a small chapel with only Henley, Karen and Katherine present. "You know, I'm not going anywhere. You can stop staring," Lucas laughed and Brooke shoved him.

Taking Davis back, she nodded towards the ocean. "Go play with your daughter."

* * *

He sat on their large brown couch, sinking into the soft cushions. The beach made everyone tired and it was slowly turning into a lazy day in the Scott house hold. Henley laid on the other end of the couch in an old T-shirt and some mesh shorts, her eyes drooping more and more with each passing second. She let out a yawn as Brooke walked into the living room, Davis on her hip.

Her shoulder length hair was up in a very messy ponytail, some strands that were too short framed her face. She was dressed in her pajamas, old plaid plants that used to be his and a T-shirt like Henley's. She smiled at him as she set Davis down by Henley, the small boy getting up and sitting on his sister as soon as Brooke let him go.

"Get off me fatty," Henley groaned. Davis just laughed and started playing with her wavy hair. Sighing Henley pulled Davis into her lap where he sat contently, Henley's hair still in his small hands.

Brooke slid onto the couch next to Lucas, her back against the arm rest. He moved her legs so that he could lie between them, resting his head against her chest. She kissed the top of his head and leaned back, getting more comfortable. She ran her fingertips lightly over his scalp and he concentrated on her steady breathing.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, his hand rubbing the small patch of exposed skin on her lower back. Her skin was warm against his and when she let out a laugh about something on the tv, he lifted his head to look at her. The sun was coming in through the window, giving her an ethereal glow. It hit her green eyes perfectly, causing them to sparkle more than usual. Her dimples were etched into her cheeks, her lips parted to let out another raspy laugh. She looked beautiful.

She turned down to look at him, feeling his eyes on her. She gave him a soft smile and suddenly that feeling bubbled up inside of her. The one that she'd gotten every so often over the past few years. The feeling that everything is how it should be. Being with Lucas, watching the family she started with him grow. She no longer got the feeling like she was living in a City of Devils. She felt wanted, loved and she was where she belonged. Like Lucas had brought her into a City of Angels.

Their eye contact is broken when Davis jumped on Lucas back, an 'Ugh' sound making its way out of Lucas's mouth. Davis giggled and Henley let out a laugh. "Good job Davy," Henley said through her laughter.

A little while later, the comfortable silence the family sat in was interrupted by the ringing of Brooke's cell phone. She got up with a groan, walking into the kitchen, anticipating who would be on the other line. She answered with a slow 'hello' and the squeaky voiced girl on the other end replied with a rushed voice.

"Oh my god Brooke the caterers are here and they are asking which kind of dressing they should leave. They brought ten because you said to bring a selection but then I lost the list with the specified dressings and now they don't know what to leave. Oh and the tables and chairs came except we're a whole table short and they said that we only order 14 when I know we ordered 15! And on top of that guests have already started arriving!"

Brooke sighed. "Ranch, Blue Cheese, Thousand Island, Italian, and Vinaigrette. Don't worry about the table, I've got it covered. As for the guests, send them to the bar and if they don't drink then send them to the beach down the way. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Brooke walked back into the living room, glancing at her family on the couch.

"Carrie?" Lucas asked and Brooke nodded.

"There is no way she will be able to manage without me. I have to go bitch out some people. I'll be back in thirty minutes tops." After working at a small cafe for six months after she and Lucas got back together, Brooke decided to try her hand at event planning. It started off as small parties, a way of getting her name out there. Pretty soon she started getting high end jobs, even planning a few weddings along the way. Carrie had been working with Brooke the longest and as sad as it was to say, wouldn't amount to more than an assistant.

Brooke disappeared into the back rooms only to reappear a few minutes later. She kissed each of the kids and Lucas before walking out the door, Lucas yelling out a 'Goodbye' as she did so.

When the front door closed, Lucas's own cell phone started ringing. He looked at the ID and answered with a smile. "Hey Hales, What's up?"

Henley looked over at him then and watched him nod. "Let me ask. Hey Henley, you and Davis want to spend the night at Aunt Haley's?"

Lucas watched her pretend to think about it. She tilted her head to the side, tapping her index finger against her chin. "I guess so," she answered finally and Lucas chuckled.

"Yeah Haley, they'll come over."

* * *

Her shoulder length hair was still wet from her shower and she smelled like water and soap and that smell that was hers alone. She hadn't done her make-up yet and it became even more obvious that she didn't need any. Her dress was form fitting, the floral pattern clinging to her top and waist before flowing out at her hips and ending at her knees.

She stood at the sink, washing dishes and he moved over to her from his spot in the doorway. He slid his arms around her waist and brought her ear in-between his teeth. She giggled happily and pressed her body against his.

She turned around in his arms and for a second he thought that she looked absolutely perfect. Then she got the wicked smile on her face and whispered dirty things into his ear and suddenly all he wanted to do was push her up against a wall.

And that's exactly what he did.

They were up against the pantry door and her legs are wrapped around his waist, his lips on her neck. His hands have already bunched her dress up so that it was around her waist and his shirt was already off. She ran her nails along his back, clawing him in surprise when his hand reached right there. They move and then she was on the counter. In one swoop her panties were off and his buckle undone. Hands were everywhere, touching and teasing. Their lips stay connected to each others, only breaking to release moans and groans.

Her hand reached into his pants, wrapping around him and he gasped in surprise. She smirked as she began to pump him, breaking away from his lips to look at his face. His mouth hung open and his eyes were shut. She stopped her movements abruptly and giggled when Lucas opened his eyes, a pout on his face.

He shook his head and wrapped his hand behind her neck, pulling her face closer to his. "You're such a tease you know that?"

She closed the gap, pulling his bottom lip in between her teeth and then releasing it. "First off, your hand stopped moving once mine started to," she said, motioning to his hand that was resting between her legs. "And secondly, you think I'm cute when I tease."

He laughed. "I just tell you that so you'll put out." She was about to argue but she stopped as two fingers slipped into her. They moved in and out of her before he withdrew his hand.

"Ugh," she groaned loudly, swatting Lucas lightly on the shoulder. "If you know what's good for you you'll put your fingers back."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Well what if I replaced my fingers with something else?"

They hear a laugh then and they both pull away from each other, Brooke pushing down her dress. "What do you want Rachel?" Lucas asked with a irritated sigh.

"Well I was coming over to spend some time with your wonderful kids, but you two have obviously pawned them off." Rachel slumped down at their dining room table and it became obvious that they weren't going to continue.

Brooke slid off the counter, giving Lucas a quick squeeze as she did so. His eyes shut tight and he released a low groan. Brooke laughed, mumbling a sorry before giving him a quick kiss. "You know, it's kinda disgusting that you two do that on your counters. It's highly unsanitary," Rachel said as Brooke slipped on her underwear before walking into the dining room.

"Then I wouldn't lean on that table," Lucas smirked, enjoying the look of disgust on Rachel's face. "I'm going to go take a cold shower."

* * *

Later that day after Rachel had left, Lucas walked through the front door, a bag of groceries in one hand, his keys in the other. He heard his beautiful wife curse from the kitchen, followed by the sound of a pan hitting the floor. He smiled and made his way slowly to the kitchen. He leaned in the doorway, watching his wife pick up the vegetables that had fallen. "You know," he said, finally entering the kitchen, putting down the groceries on the island, "you look good from behind Mrs. Scott."

She stood back up, an amused dimpled smile on her face. "You too Mr. Scott." She walked over to him, leaving the rest of the bell peppers on the ground. She hopped up on the island, peering into the paper bag. " I hope you brought dinner because I think I just ruined all the vegetables."

He laughed and moved over so he stood in between her legs. "We'll get take out." She nodded, still looking at the contents of the bag. He noticed she kinked an eyebrow and before he knew it, she held the can of whip cream he'd purchased in her hand. "For dessert." Her eyebrow rose higher and she suddenly wore a very different smile.

"I love the way you think." She pulled him forward by his tie, his lips finding hers instantly. Her tongue grazed his bottom lip, asking for entrance and he more than willingly allowed her to enter. His hands moved from her hair to the hem of her shirt, one slipping underneath. She gasped in pleasure and surprise when his hand reached her breast. His other hand trailed down her leg, finding it's way up her skirt.

Her hands made quick work of his shirt, his tie and her panties already on the ground. She pulled his shirt out of his pants which was proving to be extremely hard since his hands were now doing wonders on both her top and lower half. His shirt finally made its way to the floor as she pulled away from his lips. "God damn Lucas," she breathed out, her nails digging into the skin on his shoulders. He smiled as his fingers continued to work her.

Before he knew it she was moaning his name loudly before returning her lips to his. She begun to undo his belt, her slender fingers making quick work of the button and zipper. Just as her hand slipped underneath the elastic of his boxers, the phone rang. The two groaned at the sound, pulling away from each other to look at the noisy culprit. "It could be Haley," Brooke reasoned, putting her extreme horniness to the back of her mind. Lucas groaned once more and walked the three feet over to the phone.

"What," Lucas answered, aggravated.

"Well hello to you too Luke."

He rolled his eyes at his best friend's amused tone. "Are you in labor?"

"No..." Haley started, confused by the question.

"Are the kids okay?"

"Yes." She didn't get a chance to ask why he asked her those questions because he hung up before she could. Lucas turned around, expecting to find Brooke sitting on the island. Instead, he found himself alone in the kitchen, her pencil skirt on the floor, and the can of whipped cream missing.

He kicked off his shoes before climbing the stairs two by two. He noticed that their bedroom door was closed and he let a smile play on his lips. He pushed open the door to find Brooke lying on their bed, her chest covered in whipped cream. "Hiya Luke," she said in her low raspy voice, letting out a soft giggle when she saw his eyes go wide.

"You look gorgeous," he murmured from the door and once again her soft giggle filled the room. She used her finger to swipe some whip cream off her breast and then licked it off slowly.

"I taste pretty good too." Before she knew it, his pants were by the door and his lips were on her breast. She arched her back, pushing herself further into his mouth. She bent her knee, slowly rubbing him through his boxers. He bit down on her nipple in surprise and she gasped. His kissed his way up from her breast, up to her neck before making his way to her other breast.

When he had licked her clean, she pushed him on to his back, pulling his boxers down his legs. She lowered her head and he let out the loudest moan she'd ever heard escape his lips when her mouth made contact with him. Obviously, the anticipation had gotten to him. His hand found its way to the back of her head, his fingers intertwining with her brown locks.

Just as he was about to reach his peak she pulled away, a devious smile on her face. "Tease," he breathed out as she left open mouth kisses up his chest.

"We don't want this over before we've started now do we?" She asked with a cocked eyebrow, letting out a throaty laugh as he flipped her over and pinned her against the bed. His lips hovered above hers, their noses rubbing softly against one another. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you too," he said as he slowly slipped into her.

I feel like I just ended a fairytale lol Ending things happy is new for me. I hope the ending wasn't too much. One scene was from the original ending and the other was part of another possible ending lol. HUGE Thanks to my beta Miranda who put up with all my verb switches since I can't stay in the same tense for shit lol. I also want to thank all of you guys who have read and review and stuck through all the little hiatuses I put you guys through. You guys are seriously awesome, I never thought I'd get as many reviews as this story has gotten! It's been a fun ride and I'm glad you all took it with me! Cheyenne


End file.
